L 

J25 



REPORT 

OF THE 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE 

TO THE 

BOARD OF EDUCATION 

OF THE 

CITY OF LOS ANGELES 

ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION 
AND ADMINISTRATION 

OF THE 
PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM 



(BEGUN APRIL 17 AND CONCLUDED MAY 22, 1916) 





Gass^L iStjSL- 
Book4 Ll^ AS- 



\°ilb 



i 7_ 



REPORT 

OF THE 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE 

TO THE 

BOARD OF EDUCATION 

OF THE 

CITY OF LOS ANGELES 

ON CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE ORGANIZATION 
AND ADMINISTRATION 

OF THE 

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM 



.OWvilvii TI«' 



(BEGUN APRIL 17 AND CONCLUDED MAY 22, 1916) 






:A^ \ ^' 



D. Of i3 

FEB 2 I9lf 



PAGE 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

I. INTRODUCTION 11 

1 . Resolution of Board 11 

2. Letter of Tr.ansmittal 12 

II. ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS 13 

1. Enrollment and Attendance 13 

2. Increase in Size and Population 13 

3. School Buildings Erected or Annexed 14 

4. Character of Population 18 

5. Extension of Existing Activities and Introduction of New 

Activities 19 

6. Cost of Such Extension 21 

(a) Cost of instruction and maintenance 23 

(b) Salaries of teaching force 26 

(c) No hasty inferences to be made 27 

(d) Need of more precise methods of evaluation 27 

III. COMPULSORY EDUCATION 29 

1. Need of a School Census 29 

2. Need of a Method of Following up Discharges 29 

(a) Discharges on transfers should be authorized by a central 

office 30 

(b) Suggested methods 30 

3. Disposition of Truants and Delinquent Pupils 31 

(a) Segregation of truants and delinquents 31 

(b) Two methods of segregation 31 

(c) Attendance at the special schools 32 

(d) Suggested improvements 32 

4. Work Permits for Pupils Under 16 years of Age 34 

(a) Kinds of permits and provisions 34 

5. Ages and Grades of Pupils 37 

6. Department of Compulsory Education 40 

(a) Personnel and duties 40 

(b) Suggested improvements 40 

7. Recommendations 41 

IV. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 43 

1. The Organization of Classes and Employment of Teachers in 

the Elementary Schools 43 

(a) Various types of grading 43 

(b) Distribution of pupils in the regular grades 43 

(c) Size of classes 44 

(d) Duplication of service in grades 7 and 8 50 

(e) General conclusions .' 51 

(f) Recommendations 52 

2. Special Types of Organization in Regular Elementary Schools. . . 53 

(a) Ungraded classes 53 

/. Number and enrollment. 53 

//. The average pupil 55 

///. Non-promotion, number and percentage 57 

IV. Recommendations 60 

(b) Classes for defectives or feeble-minded children 60 

/. Present provisions 60 

III 



PACK 

//. The psychological laboratory 62 

///. Recommendaiions 62 

(c) Classes for the deaf 62 

(d) Schools for crippled, blind, epileptic and other defectives. . 63 

I. Present provisions 63 

//. Recommendations 63 

(e) The employment of extra teachers to teach special subjects . 64 

/. Are specially equipped teachers necessary for such 
instruction? If so, does the necessity apply to all 

special subjects 64 

//. Should grade teachers be assigned on a full depart- 
mental or part departmental system or should special 

teachers be employed? 66 

///. Special instruction for individual pupils 69 

IV. What should be the principle regulating the assign- 

nfent of special teachers as to grade and number? . ... 70 

T'. Recommendations _ 71 

3. The Elementary Course of Study 72 

(a) Underlying principles 72 

(b) Arithmetic 74 

(c) Geography 75 

(d) History 77 

(e) Language 78 

(f) Penmanship 79 

(g) Foreign Language 79 

(h) Music 80 

(i) Drawing 80 

(j) Manual Arts and Manual Work 80 

(k) Home Economics Arts 81 

(1) Nature Study 81 

(m) Agriculture 82 

(n) Ethics 82 

(o) Recommendations 83 

4. Extra Subjects and Activities Not Included In the Above 83 

(a) Department of Physical Education 83 

(b) Afternoon Playgrounds 84 

(c) Health and Development 84 

(d) Library department 86 

(e) Orchestra department 86 

(f) Recommendations 86 

5. The Proficiency of Pupils in the Los Angeles Schools 86 

V. THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 88 

1. Inclusiveness of the Term as Used in Los Angeles 88 

2. Growth in Intermediate Schools 88 

3. Holding Power of the Intermediate Schools 92 

4. Electives in the Intermediate Schools 92 

5. How Students Elect Courses 93 

6. The Present Arrangement of Courses Subject to Change 95 

7. Comparative Recoids in High School of Elementary Graduates 

who had Attended Intermediate Schools and of those who had 

Not Attended such Schools 96 

8. Distribution of 7th and 8th Grade Pupils in Elementary and 

Intermediate Schools 98 

9. Overage Pupils in the Intermediate Schools 98 

10. Variation in Ratio of Teachers to Pupils 99 

IV 



PAGK 

11. Need of Some Standard for Assigning Teachers 99 

12. Opposition to the Intermediate Schools 100 

13. A Policy shoidd he Established and Observed 101 

14. Estimating the Cost of Intermediate Schools 102 

15. Recommendations ; 103 

VI. HIGH SCHOOLS 104 

1. Distinctive Features of the High Schools 104 

2. The Special Versus the Cosmopolitan High School 104 

3. Electives in High School 105 

4. Growth in the High School Enrollment 106 

5. Percent, of High School Students in Senior Classes 107 

6. Elimination of Pupils 108 

7. Size of Classes in Intermediate and High Schools 109 

8. Attendance by Schools and Subjects in Intermediate and High 

Schools 112 

VII. JUNIOR COLLEGES 125 

1. Distribution in Los Angeles 125 

2. Growth in Enrollment 126 

3. Recommendations 127 

VIII. EVENING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 128 

1. Scope of Activities 128 

2. The Problem of Cost 129 

3. Elementary Instruction for English Speaking Pupils 130 

4. The Instruction of Foreigners 131 

(a) Those learning English 131 

(b) Those in citizenship classes 132 

5. Classes in Commercial Subjects 133 

6. Classes in the Manual and Domestic Arts, Shop-training, Sewing, 

Dressmaking and Cooking 134 

7. Classes for Physical Development 134 

8. Classes for Social Recreation, Games and Dancing 135 

9. Miscellaneous Activities 136 

IX. THE EVENING HIGH SCHOOL 137 

1. Subjects Taught and Students Enrolled 138 

X. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS AND COMMENT ON EVENING 

SCHOOLS 140 

1. Attendance in Evening Elementary Schools 140 

2. Divisions and Semesters 140 

3. Attendance in Evening High Schools 141 

4. Clerical Help Needed 141 

5. Attendance in all Types of Evening Schools 141 

6. Employment of Day School Teachers 142 

7. Recommendations 142 

XI. THE EXPERIEN( E, TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF 

PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS 144 

1. In Elementary Schools 144 

2. In Intermediate Schools 153 

V 



PAGE 

3. In High Schools 156 

4. In Evening Schools 159 

5. Appointment of Teachers 161 

(a) Present method 161 

(b) Probationary period 163 

(c) Recommendations 164 

6. Salary Grades — Distribution of Teachers 164 

7. Services of Teachers 172 

(a) Distribution of teachers according to ratings 172 

(b) Recommendations 174 

XII. RECOMMENDATION FOR A DIVISION OF EDUCA- 
TIONAL RESEARCH, STATISTICAL INFORMATION, 

ETC 175 

XIII. THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT 177 



VI 



TABLES 

PACK 

Tiihle I: Sliowiiig KiirollinouL ami ALliMi(laiicc of Pupils in llic 

I'liblic Schools of Los Angclos 13 

Table 2: StatcMiicnt of Elementary and Intermediate High Scliool 
Buildings Erected or Annexed Since the School Year 
1911-12, According to Statement of Material and 
Costs '. 15 

Table 3: Showing Number of Native and Foreign-Born Popula- 
tion in Los Angeles, 1910-1915 19 

Table -1: Showing (A) List of New Activities Established in the 
Department of Education in 1910 or Subsequently 
and (B) Activities (ireatly Extended Since 1910, With 
Data as to Increase in Number or in Staff 20 

Tabic 5: Showing the Comparative Distribution of Cost Among 

Ten Cities 22 

Table (3: Showing Cost of Tuition and Maintenance (Excluding 
Cost of Buildings or Original Installation) for Dif- 
ferent Types of School Activity, Arranged According 
to Various Types of Schools and Indicating Per Cent. 
Increase or Decrease in Attendance and Cost, and 
Increase Per Capita Cost for the Five Years 1910-11 
to 1914-15 23-24 

Table 7: Showing Increase of Salaries of the Teaching Force in the 
Various Tvpes of Schools from the School Years 
1910-11 to 1914-15 26 

Table 8: Showing Length of Stay of Pupils in Special Schools 

Since their Last Commitment 32 

Table 9: Showing Record of Permits of Various Types Issued or 
Approved by the City Superintendent Through the 
Department of Compulsory Education 35 

Table 10: Showing Number of Pupils in Kindergarten, Elementary 
and High School Grades Enrolled in the Los Angeles 
Schools March 31, 1916, Arranged According to Sex, 

Age and Crade 37 

Showing Relative Size and Number of Regular Elemen- 
tary Schools Inside and Outside the Four- Mile District . 44 
Showing Average Enrollment per Class for School 

According to Enrollment 45 

Showing the Number of Classes Within the Four- Mile 
District and Out, According to Selected Limits of 
Enrollment in Regular and Ungraded Classes 40 

Table 14: Showing Enrollment by Groups of Classes in the Grades 
with Medians, for Regular Elementary Classes (Ex- 
cluding Ungraded and Special Classes), for the Four 
Weeks Ending March 3, 1916 48 

Table 15: Showing Number of Classes by Grades, Not Including 

L^ngraded or Special Classes 50 

Table 16: Showing the Number of Ungraded Classes and Enroll- 
ment In and Out of the Four- Mile District, .\ccording 
to Groups 53 

Table 17: Showing the Enrollment of Pupils in Ungraded Classes 
.Vccording to Dominant Individual Characteristics, as 
Reported bv Principals and Teachers for the Four 
Weeks Ending March 31, 1916 45 

VII 



Table 


11: 


Table 


12: 


Table 


13: 



PAGE 

Table 18: Showing Percentage of Over- Age Pupils as of October, 
1914, and March, 1916, from Data Supplied by the 
City Superintendent 5'5 

Table 19: Showing Number of Non-Promotions and Percentage of 
Non-Promotions in the Elementary Schools at the 
Beginning of the Present Semester, Distributed Ac- 
cording to "Under-Age," "Grade-Age" and "Over- 
Age" Pupils 57 

Table 20: Showing Number of Boys and Girls Not Promoted at the 
Beginning of the Last Semester (February, 1916), Ar- 
ranged According to Age 59 

Table 21: Showing Number of Teachers of Special Subjects (Not 

Supervisors) Employed for Six Successive Years 67 

Table 22: Showing Assignment and work of Assistant Supervisors 

of Physical Training in the Month 83 

Table 23: Showing Detailed Analysis of Growth in Intermediate 

School Enrollment, Year of 1910-11 to 1916 . 89-91 

Table 24: Showing Percentage of Pupils in Each of Six Courses in 
the Intermediate Schools of Los Angeles, February 1, 
1916 :•■•■.•• ■; ^^ 

Table 25: Showing Comparative Records in High School of Inter- 
mediate and Grammar School Graduates 96 

Table 26: Showing Over- Age Pupils in the Los Angeles Inter- 
mediate Schools, October 30, 1914 98 

Table 27: Showing Percentage of Enrollment in All Grades 107 

Table 28: Showing Percentage of Senior Pupils in High School of 

Total Enrolled 108 

Table 29: Showing the Elimination of High School Pupils Accord- 
ing to Years 109 

Table 30: Showing the Distribution of Classes by Subjects in the 

High and Intermediate Schools 110-111 

Table 31: Showing Attendance by Schools and Subjects in Inter- 
mediate and High Schools for Week Ending January 
28,1916 112-121 

Table 32: Showing Form Used by the Board of Education in Re- 
questing Teachers to State Schedule of Work of each 
for School Week Ending January 28, 1916 . 124 

Table 33: Showing the Growth in Enrollment of Junior Colleges in 

the Los Angeles High Schools 126 

Table 34: Showing Growth in Enrollment in Number of Post 

Graduate Students in the Los Angeles High Schools. . . . 126 

Table 35: Showing Evening Elementary Schools Visited in Two 
Weeks and Attendance in Each Class, With Number 
Attending and Not Attending Day School, Average of 
Each, and Number of Day School Teachers Employed 137 

Table 36: Showing Experience, Training and Certification of the 
Various Grades of Teachers, Principals and Super- 
visors in Elementary Schools. These Reports do Not 
Include All Teachers Employed. In All Cases in 
Which Teachers Reported College Attendance, This 
Was Assumed to Include Either Normal or High 
School Training 144-149 

Table 37: Giving a Summary of Preceding Table as the Data 
Affect Elementary Teachers, Principals and Super- 
visors 1^" 

VIII 



I'AG K 

Tabic 8S: Showing Traiiiiiifi, Kxijcriciico and Certificalion of tlic 
Tcat'liing Force in Intcruiediatc Schools According to 
Number who lleporteil 153-154 

Table 38A: Showing Training, Experience and Certification of the 
Teaching Force in High Schools, According to Number 
who Re|)orted 15fi-l 57 

Table 39: Sliowing Training, Experience and Certification of the 
Teaching Force in Elementary Evening Schools Not 
Otherwise Reported 159 

Table 39 A: Showing Training, Experience and Certification of the 
Teaching Force in Evening High Schools Not Other- 
wise Reported 160 

Table 40: Showing Grades of Salaries of Principals and Teachers 
in the Los Angeles Public Schools and the Number 
Receiving Them 161-163 

Table 41: Showing Ratings of Teachers in the Public Schools of Los 
Angeles as Contained in the Quarterly Reports, 
February, 1916 172 



IX 



I 

INTRODUCTION 
TO 

' REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
AUTHORIZED BY THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS 

OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE LOS 
ANGELES CITY S( IIOOL DISTRICT AND THE 

LOS ANGELES CITY HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 

1. RESOLUTION OF BOARD 

By unanimous vote of all members of the Board at the re- 
gular meeting on February 14, 1916, the following was adopted: 

Wt' rcc()ininen<l that the Teachers and Schools Committee, together witli 
the President, be and they are hereby empowered to arrange with Presidents 
BUTLER of Columl)ia University, and judson of Cliicago University, to select 
three disinterested educators to make an expert examination of our school 
system along Hues that may be determined, at a compensation not to cxceetl 
$1500.00 each and $-100.00 each for expenses. 

Pursuant to instructions of the Board of Education I com- 
missioned Doctors Nicholas ^Murray Butler, President of 
Columbia University, and Harry Pratt Judson, President of 
the University of Chicago, to name experts in educational mat- 
ters to come to Los Angeles to make a brief investigation of our 
schools' activities to the end (as stated to them) that we might 
have the advantage of "their information, as.sistance and advice." 
I suggested that it seemed desira))le that the men selected should 
hail from eastern states, otherwise in the matter of their selec- 
tion Doctors Butler and Judson were notified that they were 
"to have absolutely a free hand." 

Pursuant to this commission Doctors Butler and Judson 
selected Doctors Albert Shiels, Director of the Division of 
Reference and Research under the Board of Education of New 
York, and Walter A. Jessup, Dean of the College of Education, 
Iowa State University. (Another expert was named but was 
unable to come.) 

Neither of these gentlemen was known to any member of the 
Board of Education. TJiey are designated as the Advisor}' 
Committee. They tmdertook the work with which they were 
charged and pursued it with vigor. Both of them have furnished 
ample evidence of their great learning in educational matters, of 
their keen understanding of existing local conditions, and a very 

11 



unusual power of correct analysis. Their appended report 
speaks for itself. The value of their services and of their advice 
in conference with the members of the Board of Education and 
the superintendent and his assistants has been recognized by all. 
The Department of Education of the City of Los Angeles is 
placed under an everlasting debt of gratitude. 

Walter Bordwell, 

President of the Board of Education of the 

City of Los Angeles. 

2. Letter of Transmittal 

REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE 

BOARD OF EDUCATION, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 

Los Angeles, May 25, 1916. 

To The Board of Education, 

Los Angeles City School District. 

In presenting this report on the schools of Los Angeles, we 
desire to emphasize the fact that it is in no sense a complete 
survey. A complete survey of the Los Angeles schools would 
require a much longer time and a much larger staff than are now 
available. The reason is clear. 

In the succeeding section will be found a statement not only 
of the enrollment and attendance in the Los Angeles schools as 
they are now established, but also of the rapid increase. This 
increase has not been one of population only. New types of 
school buildings have been erected, new kinds of activities have 
been initiated, and new laws and regulations established. The 
size and complexity of the school system therefore forbids any 
attempt to make an elaborate investigation or study within a 
few weeks. 

Walter A, Jessup, 
Albert Shiels. 



12 



II 



ADMINISTRATIVE TROBLEMS 

1. Enrollment and Attendance 
Table 1: Showing Enuollmbnt and Attendance of Pupils in the 
Public Schools of Los Angeles 
For the Four Weeks Ending March 3, 1916 



Schools 

Day Elementary (including Kindergarten and 

excluding Parental and Iiiterniediate.) 

Day Parental 

Day High 

Day Intermediate 

Evening High 

Evening Elementary 

Totals 



78.658 



Enrollment 


Attendance 


51,782 


46,730 


325 


195 


9,436 


8,888 


7,219 


6,749 


6,690 


2,707 


3,269 


941 



66,210 



These pupils were distributed in an area covering approximately 
400 square miles. At that time a supervisory and teaching 
force of 3,047 persons was employed by the Board of Education. 
Even though the work of this Committee does not include an 
inquiry into the business departments of the Board, it is evident 
under such circumstances, that a survey of the schools could be 
made only after a very extended inquiry, examination and study. 

It may be recalled in this connection that a survey of the 
schools of Cleveland, not yet completed, has been in operation 
for over eighteen months, and that the number of persons en- 
gaged in the work has at times exceeded fifty. All that this 
Advisory Committee can do within the limited time, and with 
the force at hand, is to point out certain aspects of the present 
organization and administration of the public school system, 
and to make certain suggestions and recommendations. These 
suggestions and recommendations are based on an examination 
of the facts which are included as stipporting data, on interviews 
with members of the supervisory and teaching staff and on the 
results of observation of schools and classes in session. 

The members of this Committee have visited twelve high, 
nine intermediate and thirty-nine elementary schools, as well as 
all but two of the evening elementary and evening high schools. 

2. Increase in Size and Population 

However creditable to the attractiveness of Los Angeles and 
to the energy of its people may be the enormous increase in size 
and population, this increase has multiplied seriously the prob- 
lems of school administration. Figures showing the precise 

13 



growth of the city school district of Los Angeles are not available. 
A statement showing the growth in area of the city indicates 
a corresponding growth in this school district. 

Area Population 

1910 85.15 square Miles 319,198 

1911 100.71 " " 

1912 197.62 " " 

1915 288.27 " " 550,000 

3. School Buildings Erected or Annexed 

The school district contains approximately 112 more square 
miles than the city. These successive increases in territory 
have compelled very rapid action in providing for the adjust- 
ment of the school organizations in the new districts to the city 
system, and for new buildings, as will be appreciated by an ex- 
amination of foregoing statement. The following table shows 
the increase in new buildings, not counting bungalows or other 
unimportant additions. 



14 



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15 



Intermediate Schools 



School 


Completed 


Construction 


Value 


Berendo Intermediate 

Auditorium Building 


1912 


Brick, plastered 


$ 18,539 


Boyle Heights Intermediate 


1913 


Brick 


275.184 


Fourteenth St. Intermediate 

Main Building 

Auditorium and Gymna- 
sium Building 


1916 
1912 


Brick, 

Plaster 

on wire lath 


87,585 
12,000 


Thirtieth St. Intermediate 
Auditorium Building 


1913 


Frame, plastered 


13,115 


Virgil Avenue Intermediate 


1912 


Brick 


53,130 



16 



HIGH SCHOOL BUILDINGS 



School 



Gardena High School 

Arts and Science Building. . . 
Farm Mechanics Building. . . 
Farm House Remodeled 

HollywoodHigh School 
Fine Arts Building Addi'tn . . 

Mechanics' Building 

Gymnasium Building 

Lincoln High School 

Main Building 

Power House 

Science Building 

Los Angeles High School 
Cafeteria Building 

Manual Arts HighSchool 
Administration Building. . . . 

Poltechnic High School 
Lecture and Warehouse 

Building 

Mining and Assaying 

Building 

San Pedro HighSchool 
Domestic Science Building. . 

Art Building 

Boat House 

Wilmington High School 
Main Building 

Franklin High School 

New Main Building 

Science Building 

Boiler House 

high schools annexed 1915 

San Fernando High School 
Administration Building. . . . 
Industrial Building 

Van Nuys High School 

Main Building 

Additional Building 

Manual Training Building. . 



Completed 



1912 
1912 
1912 



1912 
1911 
1915 



1913 
1913 
1913 



1911 
1912 

1912 
1914 



1912 
1912 
1912 



1912 



1916 
1916 
1916 



1906 
1913 



1914 
1912 
1912 



Construction 



Brick 
Brick 
Frame 



Brick, plastered 
Brick 

Hollow tile 
plastered 



Brick, concrete 

Concrete 

Brick 



Brick 

Brickj plastered 

Brick, plastered 
Frame 



Brick, plastered 
Plastered 
Frame, plastered 



Brick 



Brick 
Brick 
Brick 



Frame 
Concrete 



Brick, plastered 

Frame 

Frame 



Value 



11,275 
7,140 
1,570 



43,500 

22,868 

35,883 



107,202 

2,500 

60,600 



17,500 
141,502 

5,080 
806 



4,825 

4,425 

11,688 



57,522 



104,166 

45,100 

5,120 



28,935 
41,800 



65,000 
1,650 
1,550 



17 



4.|^ Character of Population 

Aside from the difficulties arising because of the rapidly in- 
creasing population, Los Angeles has to deal with a transient 
population, which attends school only part of the year. Un- 
fortunately, no figures are available to show the number of 
these temporary attendants, yet the number of such attendants 
is very large. 

On the other hand, the schools of Los Angeles enjoy certain 
compensating advantages. The climate should greatly increase 
the percentage of attendance of pupils who would in other cities 
be absent on account of the great extremes of temperature.- 
Moreover, Los Angeles is fortunate in the homogeneous char- 
acter of its residential population. A comparison with other 
cities shows that, although the people of the city, attracted by 
its advantages as a place of residence, have come from every 
part of the country, nevertheless they exemplify as no other 
large city does, what might be termed a native American type; 
a type, moreover, that represents, through the fact of removal 
from other parts of the country to their new home in Los Angeles, 
a degree of energy and initiative much above the average. 



18 



Table 3: Showing Number of Native and Foreign-Born Population 
IN Los Angeles, 1910-1915 





Native- 
Born 


Foreign Born 


Total 
population 


Year 


European 
and Mexican 


Mongolian 


Total 


1910 
1915 


252,322 
421,350 


60,584 
118,650 


6,292 
9,500 


66,876 
128,150 


319,198 
549,500 


Increase 


169,028 


58,066 


3,208 


61,274 


230,302 



rjG- 1 



'. M0r<60L I/Iff. ) '^""^■^"^ *■ >!^ 



/r? rsgeich soiin 





1910 



1915 
TO rni ToruL nnoM- S4'r. s-eo . 



The native-born population, according to these figures, is 
76 per cent, of the total population. As the foreign-born popu- 
lation includes over 20,000 English, Irish and Scotch, the total 
number whose language is English constitutes at least about 80 
per cent, of the inhabitants of the city. 



5. ExTEXsiox OF Existing Activities axd Ixtroduction 
OF New Activities 

The last five years have been notable for the number of new 
activities introduced into the schools, and for the extension of 
those already existing. 



19 



Table 4: Showing (a) List of New Activities Established in the De- 
partment OF Education in 1910 or Subsequently and (b) Ac- 
tivities Greatly Extended Since 1910, With Data as 
to Increase in Number or in Staff 





Year established 


Condition in 1910 


Condition 


Activity 


if 


or 


in 




later than 1910 


when es tah lished 


1916 


NEW ACTIVITIES 








General Administralion 








Agriculture and Gardening 


1911 


1 Supervisor 


4 Supervisors 


Nature study department. . . . 


1911 


1 " half time 


3 


Orchestra department 


1910 


1 


3 


Elementary Schools 








Playgrounds for children.. . 


1910 


23 Teachers 


02 Teachers 


Appointment of special 








teachers in elementary 








schools: 








(a) Drawing 


1912 


9 


34 


(b) Music.; 


1912 


10 


49 


*(c) Domestic science 


1912 


41 


78 


Intermediate Schools 


1911 


5 Schools 


9 Schools 


Junior Colleges 








(in High Schools) 


1912 


1 Junior College 


3 Junior Colleges 


EXTENDED ACTIVITIES 








General Administration 




1910 


1916 


Department of drawing 




4 Supervisors 


6 Supervisors 


" " home econo- 








mics 




3 


5 


" " music 




4 


5 


" " physical edu- 








cation 




2H " 


5 


" " compulsory 








education 




4 officers 
5.5 Classes 


10 Officers 


Kindergarten classes 


129 Classes 


Extension of health depart- 








ment: 








Physicians 




4 


11 


Nurses 




7 

3 Dentists 


7 


Parent-Teachers Clinic. . . . 


3 Dentists 


Elementary Schools 








Ungraded Classes 




29 Classes 


S4 Classes 


School Librarians 




1 Librarian 
1 


4 Librarians 


Penny Luncheons 


9 


High Schools 




6 High Schools 


13 High Schools 







* Domestic science teaching was introduced before 1912, but figures fur that year are given 
for purposes of comparison with drawing and music. 



20 



It is evident that the foregoing list inchides some very in- 
teresting and significant experiments in edncational administra- 
tion, which in many cases required as much labor and effort in 
extending them as in establishing them de novo. Among these 
should be noted the introduction of school gardens and of school 
orchestras under supervision of a separate department, the es- 
tablishment of a large force of special teachers, and the intro- 
duction of intermediate schools (sometimes referred to as junior 
high schools), and of junior colleges in high schools. 

6. Cost of Extension 
Increase in the number of activities and multiplication of 
activities requires increased expenditure. 

The comparison with other cities indicates that although the 
cost of the Los Angeles schools is high, either for per capita cost 
or for cost per inhabitant, Los Angeles is not paying a dispro- 
portionate share when the expenditure is compared with the 
value of its assessed property. 

The facts are contained in Table 5: 



21 



Table 5: Showing the Comparative Distribution of Cost Among 

Ten Cities 



Exfenditure and Outlay 
For School Purposes For 
Each $1000 Assessed 
Valuation of Property 
(After Earle Clark) 
(a) 



Expenditure per Child 

In Average Daily 
Attendance For Edu- 
cational Purposes for 
The Year 1914 
(b) 



Expenditure per In- 
habitant For Operation 
and Maintainance of 
Schools for the Year 
1914 
(c) 

Los Angeles 8.45 

Boston 7.52 

Newark 6.94 

Washington, D.C... 6. 77 

Pittsburg 6.38 

Minneapolis 6.25 

Kansas City 6.25 

Seattle 5.59 

Cleveland 5.58 

St. Louis 5 . 56 



Newark 

Kansas City 

Cleveland 

Pittsburg 

Washington, D. C. 

Los Angeles 

Seattle 

Boston 

St Louis 

Minneapolis 



.7.03 
.4.16 
.4.72 
.4.57 
.4.44 
.4.43 
.3.70 
.3.70 
.3.63 
.3.36 



Los Angeles 54.43 

Seattle 48.72 

Boston 43.37 

Washington, D.C. 41. 77 

Pittsburg 41.58 

Newark 41.35 

Minneapolis 40 . 

Kansas City 39.69 

St. Louis 36.80 

Cleveland 33.64 



*T.03 
4.TS 
4.7Z 
4.S7 
4.4* 

*.4a 

3.T0 
».7» 
3.(3 
3.S6 



■4».7t 
43. tt 

4i.n 

41. SI 
4l.iS 
4t.t« 
31. i1 

3e.g» 
3>.i4 



-ns-2 - 

sum on mcH JjtM ir txzssm vmu^tjoh or T^o-mny . 



K0fl3lli CITY . 

CJ-EVZl/IKD . 

TrrrssuKs . 

VJisHincroM . 

losmenzi 

5I/irTLE . 

:BosTon. 
sr uuii 



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sirowiNc jcKOiL nervtn>iTVK£- 7XTC CHILI /fTTrnjiifta tH loeiT/n {sarMrs^ 

LOS /tnsrili . 

3)03Ton 

W/tSHIHGTOn 

nzw/TKH. 
M/ffS/mtia . 
ir^fis/fs erry . 
ST J.OV/S 

SHowina scmcM nrPcmiTu-RX tstj. inM^giT/i/ir in locirits (SrrT^UrSj 

IPS If/IGEMES . 
S03TVH. 

rfsw/rnK. 



1 





1 XI \ 1 




t, >U \ "t 




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L %A \ 1 








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J.W I 1 



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22 



A closer analysis shows the distribution of cost among the 
various school activities: 

(a) cost of instruction and maintainance 
Table 6: Showing Cost of Tuition and Maintainance (Excluding 
Cost of Buildings or Original Installation) for Different 

Types of School Activity, Arranged According to 
Various Types of Schools and Indicating Per Cent. Increase 
OR Decrease in Attendance and Cost and Increase Per 
Capita Cost for the Five Years 1910-11 to 1914-15 
kindergarten 



Date 



Attendance Total cost \ 

cost 



1910-11 2,436 $ 99,297.41 $40.76 

1911-12 2,891 116,513.00 40.30 

1912-13 3,244 156,493.54 48.24 

1913-14 3,607 165,899.37 45.99 

1914-15 3,709 195,711.61 52.77 

Increase total cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 97.9% 

in attendance ,1914-15 over 1910-11 52 % 

per capita cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 29 % 



ELEMENTARY 


1910-11 34,870 $1,528,305.15 
1911-12 33,799 1,490,154.95 
1912-13 35,275 1,753,562.71 
1913-14 38,417 2,138,196.37 
1914-15 39,023 2,506,670.95 
Increase total cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 

in attendance 1914-15 over 1910-11 

in per capita cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 


$43.83 
44.09 
49.71 
55.66 
64.23 

64. 

12 

47 


1% 
% 
% 






SPECIAL 


(truant) 






1910-11 
1911-12 
1912-13 
1913-14 
1914-15 
Increase total cost. 


107 
177 

208 

224 

230 

1914-15 over 1910-11. 

icne, 1914-15 over 191( 

)ita cost, 1914-15 over 


$ 22,674.19 
23,681.11 
33,926.03 
28,705.53 
29,040.85 


$211.90 
133.79 
163.10 
128.14 
126.26 
28.6% 


" in attenda 
Decrease in per cap 


3-11 

1910-11 


115 

40 


% 
%* 






INTERMEDIATE 






1910-11 


191 
nee 
ita 1 




1-12. 

•I9i: 

over 








1911-12 

1912-13 

1913-14 

1914-15 

Increase total cost, 

" in attenda 

in per cap 


3,046 

4,976 

6,065 

6,093 
4-15 over 191 
, 1914-15 ovei 
cost, 1914-15 


$ 169,489.32 
372,885.26 
473,064.37 
581,783.08 

1911-12 


$55.64 
74.94 
78.00 
95.48 

219. 

100 

72 


6% 

% 
% 



* Decrease 

2Z 



HIGH SCHOOLS 

rv . mi rr I 1 ,, , Per capita 

Date Attendance lolai ( ost ' 

cost 

1910-11 5,258 $ 540,960.42 $102.88 

1911-12 5,544 630,755.21 113.70 

1912-13 5,388 774,159.29 143.68 

1913-14 6,492 836,814.68 128.89 

1914-15 6,894 1,019,026.05 126.38 

Increase total cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 94.1% 

attencance, 1914-15 over 1910-11 31 % 

in per capita cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 23 % 

EVENING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 

1910-11 533 $ 18,181.25 $34.11 
1911-12 965 31,554.40 32.70 
1912-13 1,456 67,199.17 46.15 
1913-14 1,448 46,738.30 32.28 
1914-15 1,656 70,883.25 42.80 
Increase total cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 289.3% 

attendance, 1914-15 over 1910-11 210 %. 

in per capita cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 25 % 

EVENING HIGH SCHOOLS 

1910-11 278 $ 11,999.58 $43.16 

1911-12 374 16,810.00 45.20 

1912-13 1,126 39,616.99 35.18 

1913-14 1,154 45,326.25 37.54 

1914-15 1,474 56,786.36 38.52 

Increase,total cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 373.2% 

in attendance, 1914-15 over 1910-11 430 % 

Decrease in per capita cost, 1914-15 over 1910-11 11 %" 

* Decrease 



24 



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incrr/iii 1/1 UTrEHimncE coir /inr mr crp/r^ coar or y/ixiovi 
SCKOOL JKTiyim -srrs-Kcx/fTs ■ ifi/ n /fit/s Iste Tjhlt e) 

OMilcrAanct 
h)cres%e 



Cesi 
tncnast 






4StJ 



f"7 



JsaZ 



AW? 



\n(j "•: 






^7- 



r 



t 



\ 



]k 



II 



Excepting for special schools and evening high schools, the 
increase in cost over increase in attendance is considerable. 
The increase in per capita cost ranges from 23% to 72%. 

Most of this increase can be accounted for by increase in 
salaries. A portion must be attributed to the increase of the 
number of ungraded classes and of special teachers to which 
later reference wi'l be made. An examination of Table 7 
shows' the rise of salaries in the public schools of Los Angeles 
during this period. 



25 



(B) SALARIES OF TEACHING FORCE 
Table 7: Showing Increases in Salaries of the Teaching Force 
IN THE Various Types of Schools From the School Years 
1910-11 to 1914-15 





1910 11 


1911 12 


1912 13 


1913 14 


1914 15 


Kindergarten Grade 


$720-$900 
in 4 yrs. 


$720-$912 
in 5 yrs. 


$720-$960 
in 6 yrs. 


$720-$960 
in 6 yrs. 


$850-$975 
in 6 yrs. 






Asst. Director (Teachers) 

Elementary Grade 

Principals 


$600-696 
in 3 yrs. 

* 
$1104-2400 


600- 792 
in 5 yrs. 

* 
1080-2400 


600- 840 
in 6 yrs. 

* 
1080-2400 


600- 840 
in G yrs. 

* 
1080-2400 


620- 850 
in 6 yrs. 

* 
1200-2400 




$744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1200 
in 10 yrs. 


750-1200** 




in 10 yrs. 


Teachers of Ungraded 

Classes 


'sii28 


$1104-1200 
3 yrs. 


1104-1200 
3 yrs. 


1200-1440 
5 yrs. 


1200-1440 
5 yrs. 


Special or Parental 


■$1350 


1266-i380 


1266-i380 


1200-1440 
5 yrs. 


1200-1440 
5 yrs. 






Miscellaneous 

Cooking, Sloyd, etc 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


744-1080 
in 8 yrs. 


1200-1440 
in 5 yrs. 


Occupations 




1200-1380 
4 yrs. 


1200-1380 
4 yrs. 


1200-1440 
8 yrs. 


1200-1440 
5 yrs. 






Gardening 






1200-1380 

4 yrs. 


1200-1440 
6 yrs. 


1200-1440 
5 -yrs. 


Music and Drawing 

High School Cert 










1200-1440 
5 yrs. 


Intermediate Schools 
Principals 




$2580 


$3000 


$3000 


$3000 


Vice-Principals 








$1920 


$1920 


Teachers with 

High School Cert. . . '. 




900-1320 

8 yrs. 


1080-1440 
7 yrs. 


1200-1560 
7 yrs. 


1200-1680 
10 yrs. 






Teachers without 

High School Cert 




744-1080 
8 yrs. 


$744-1080 
8 yrs. 


$744-1200 
10 yrs. 


$1200-1440 
— 5 yrs. 


High Schools 

Principals 


1— $3300 
2— $2100 


2— 3600 
2— 3300 


2—3600 
2—3300 


3—3600 
2—3300 


4— 3600 
1— 3300 


2— $2400 
1— 1080 


2— $3000 
1— 1200 


2— $3000 
1— 1200 


2— $3000 
1— 1200 




$2100 


$2100-2400 


$2100-2400 


$2400 


(10) $2400 






Heads of Departments 


$1680 


$1560-1740 
4 yrs. 


$1560-1800 
5 yrs. 


$1560-1800 
5 yrs. 


$1560-1800 
5 yrs. 


Sub Heads of Departments 


$1920 


$1800-2100 
6 yrs. 


$1800-2160 
7 yrs. 


$1800-2160 

7 yrs. 


$1800-2160 
7 yrs. 


Teachers 


$1260-1500 
3 yrs. 


$1200-1560 

8 yrs. 


$1200-1560 
8 yrs. 


$1200-1560 

8 yrs. 


$1200-1680 
10 yrs. 



* Depending on size of class and term of service. 
•* Teachers of the Bl grade were advanced in 1914-15 to $1200-1440,- 5 years. 



26 



The largest per cent of increase in salaries was for those 
teachers in intermediate schools who do not hold high school 
certificates. In 1911-12 such teachers received from $744.00 
to $1080.00, the maxinnim in eight years of service. In 1914-15 
they received $1200-1440 for the maximum after five years of 
service. Without respect to reduction in time of service, this 
increase was from 30% to 45%. The smallest per cent of in- 
crease was in the pay of elementary school principals. 

(C) NO HASTY INFERENCE TO BE MADE 

Increase in cost, large or small, by itself, is not a determinant 
of educational values. An increase in salaries for example, 
may not only acknowledge meritorious service, but it may en- 
able a city to get better teachers. If it were possible to esti- 
mate the increase of educational value in numerical terms, as 
20 per cent, and of increase in money cost as 10 per cent, then 
the increase in cost would be evidence of wise educational ad- 
ministration. Nothing could be more unfortunate for a com- 
munity than to measure the value of its school administration 
by the single standard of reduced money cost. More and more 
will American public school systems require increased expendi- 
ture for the realization of their fullest possibilities. Neither 
increase nor decrease in cost per se is necessary evidence of 
improved administration; that fact can be determined only by 
the relation of cost to service. 

(D) NEED OF MORE PRECISE METHODS OF EVALUATION 

The foregoing statement will scarcely challenge argument. 
When, however, an attempt is made to determine relative 
improvement in educational values, there is no such clear method 
of immediate demonstration as there is in determining the cost 
in dollars and cents. It is here that argument and discussion 
and oral assurance, rather than objective proof, are apt to pre- 
vail until such time as the community itself begins to question, 
not so much the educational values as the increase in tax rate. 
The former may remain a matter of theory; the latter becomes 
a very pressing fact of experience. It is important at such 
juncture to establish the public educational activities by ob- 
jective evidence when it is possible to do so. 

The determination of the increased value of any proposed 
extension in educational administration is possible to a con- 
siderable degree. Sometimes the methods are obvious, as by 
referring to increased enrollment or increased per cent of pro- 
motions. These are appropriate methods of demonstration, 
but they are insufficient and may be even unconsciously mis- 
leading. 

27 



This Committee will make a recommendation for a special 
organization for the continued and consistent evaluation of 
new experiments that can be made part of the regular functions 
o the school administration. With such an aid it will be possible 
to know not only the relative generosity of expenditures, but 
their relative wisdom as well. 



28 



Ill 

COMPULSORY EDUCATION 

1. Need of a School Census 

Previous to 1911, the school census was required by the state 
law; school funds were then apportioned on the basis of the 
census. Since the repeal of the law in that year, there has 
been no school census in the city of Los Angeles, a fact greatly 
to be deplored. 

Without a census, it is impossible to state how many children 
resident in the city, of school age, are not attending school. 
There seems to be no question, however, but that there is a 
large number of such children who are not complying with the 
law. This statement was confirmed by the opinion of the Super- 
visor of the Compulsory Education Division, who has already 
recommended that such a census be made. 

2. Need of a Method of Following up Discharges 

From the figures of attendance and enrollment submitted 
for the four-week periods ending March 3rd and March 31st, 
it appears that the percentage of attendance on monthly enroll- 
ment was 87 and 85 per cent respectively. The method of 
computing enrollment and that of determining discharges, does 
not permit any very accurate method of estimating. Even if 
the figures were satisfactory, it would be difficult to compare 
the rate of attendance in Los Angeles with that in other cities. 
In some cities no pupil is discharged until the reason is estab- 
lished by personal investigation, made by independent authority 
outside the school. Under such circumstances a city may seem 
to have a low rate of attendance because pupils are kept on its 
rolls, even for a considerable time after their departure. Such 
schools, however, do conserve the interests of the pupils. No 
one once enrolled is permitted to escape school attendance so 
long as he is a resident of the city and subject to the attendance 
law. The state law in California provides that pupils should 
be marked as "left" or discharged from the rolls after an ab- 
sence of five days. Such a rule applied in cities is very apt to 
encourage truancy. A pupil once discharged may be easily 
forgotten. Because of the law, every precaution should be 
taken to have the case of each child followed up by the Depart- 



29 



ment of Compulsory Education after the discharge has been 
made. Although such a pupil may not be on the rolls of the 
schools, he should be on the rolls of the Division of Compulsory 
Education, and periodical reports should be made concerning 
him until he returns to school or until his case is otherwise 
disposed of. 

(A) DISCHARGES ON TRANSFERS SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED BY 
A CENTRAL OFFICE 

According to the present practice in Los Angeles, in the schools 
visited by your Committee, pupils are discharged when a trans- 
fer is issued to them to attend another school. The issuance 
of a transfer should ie entirely within the discretion of the 
principal, but the pupil should not be discharged until evidence 
has been presented that he has been accepted in another school, 
or until the five-day rule has intervened. Principals should be 
relieved from the responsibility of insuring the fact of admission 
of pupils to other schools or from using their own discretion in 
making discharges before the five-day period when transfers 
have been issued. 

(B) SUGGESTED METHOD 

Transfer blanks should be issued so that carbon copies can 
be made with the original transfer. The present transfer card 
could continue, and a separate and simpler form added from 
which such carbon copies could be made. When a pupil re- 
ceives a transfer from Principal "A" to go to a school in charge 
of Principal "B", Principal "A" should give the pupil two 
duplicate carbon copies and retain a carbon copy which he should 
send immediately to the City Superintendent, or some one 
whom the City Superintendent would select, e. g., the Super- 
visor of Compulsory Education. Immediately upon receipt 
of the pupil, Principal "B" should send a second copy to the 
same person, who shouM then immediately notify Principal 
"A": the pupil could then be discharged. If the Supervisor of 
Compulsory Education should not hear from Principal "B" 
within three days, an officer should be immediately detailed who 
wou'd then put the boy in the school to which he had intended 
to go. Even if Principal "A" should discharge the boy within 
five days, as provided by law, that should not relieve the Super- 
visor from following up the case until it was disposed of by hav- 
ing the boy actually in school. According to present methods, 
pupils can wait a considerable time between transfers and, as 
a matter of fact, do in some cases. 

With the co-operation of a Compulsory Education Depart- 
ment such extended duration of absence would be impossible. 
It has been stated that the freedom from extremes of tempera- 

30 



ture of the Los Angeles cliniate makes for a high rate of attend- 
ance. It should also be remembered that the same conditions, 
supplemented by the many attractions of the city, tend to in- 
crease truancy among those pupils who are not disposed to 
attend school or who lack proper parental supervision, 

3. Disposition of Truants and Delinquent Pupils 

(a) segregation of truants and delinquents 
A separate organization is necessary for truant and delinquent 
pupils who, after repeated trial, are unable to adjust themselves 
to the ordinary school. Teachers of the regular grades should 
be relieved of such pupils, in order that they may devote their 
attention to those pupils who would otherwise be neglected 
because of the disproportionate time and energy which truants 
and delinquents demand. Moreover, the exercise of rigid and 
repressive discipline which the presence of the irregular and 
disorderly requires, no longer becomes necessary. The excel- 
lent spirit and attitude towards pupils, so noticeable in the Los 
Angeles schools, is not to be explained by the withdrawal of 
over-troublesome children, but the absence of such children 
undoubtedly makes it possible for such a spirit and attitude to 
exist. The value to children in regular grades, through the 
segregation of truants and delinquents, is unquestionable. The 
other question to decide is the value that accrues to the offend- 
ers themselves. 

(B) TWO METHODS OF SEGREGATION 

There are two methods of segregation; one involves institu- 
tional care, either in a parental school maintained by the Board 
of Education, or in some institution maintained by the County 
or State. The other is through the establishment of special 
schools or classes mainta ned during school hours only. When 
minors are committed to institutions, it is usually through a 
court process; when committed to schools under the administra- 
tive officers of education, it is usually with the consent of the 
parents or guardian. 

Assuming that either method is equally effective, the method 
of commitment to special schools or classes is preferable to the 
method of institutional care on grounds of economy. Institu- 
tional care involves charges for board and maintenance, 
and under the California law would become a heavy burden. 
A maintenance staff would have to be retained in whole or part 
throughout the year; all pupils would have to be discharged in 
June; in the succeeding fall the institution would open with a 
very limited register that would gradually increase only in the 
winter months. 

31 



There is no absolute agreement concerning the relative educa- 
tional efficiency of the two methods. Full institutional care is 
not usually considered as desirable as partial parental care even 
in the poorer homes; on the other hand, institutional control, 
wisely administered, provides for a more complete control of 
pupils, and allows a more efficient program of instruction and 
training, both in vocational and ordinary school branches. 

(C) ATTENDANCE AT THE SPECIAL SCHOOLS 

The committee collected certain facts concerning the ten 
parental schools of the city, which are presented in table 8 
showing the number of months pupils now enrolled in special 
schools have attended since their last commitment. 



Table 8: Showing Length of Stay of Pupils in Special Schools 
Since Their Last Commitment 



Enrolled since the beginning of the 


Enrolled 
since 


School year 
1915-16 


Second 
semester 
1914-15 


First 
semester 
1914-15 


Second 
semester 
1913-14 


First 
semester 
1913-14 


February 
1913 



A period of enrollment in these schools equivalent to 



1-6 mo. 


7-11 mo. 


12-16 mo. 


17-21 mo. 


22-26 mo. 


27-50 mo. 


88 


24 


13 


9 


5 


14 



Of the total number now enrolled in the special schools, 127 
are there for the first time, 19 for the second time, 6 for the 
third time, and 1 for the fourth time. 

During the present school year, 116 pupils were discharged, 
and of this number 34 were returned to the regular schools, 
and 54 returned to their homes or went to work; 15 went from 
the city, and 13 were discharged for various causes. The num- 
ber who, as a result of instruction in special schools, were con- 
sidered fit for return to the regular grades was about 30% of 
the total discharged. 

The special schools generally are doing good work for truants 
and delinquents. There are, however, certain respects in which 
this service should be improved. 

(D) SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS 

The pupils assigned, although they all have a history of truancy 
or del nquency, are so different in age, in intelligence and in 
character, that their association in single groups is unfavorable 

32 



to constructive improvement in indlviduuls. Tlie gr()U]).s are 
made up of pupils who came from the 4th to the 10th grade. 
This in itself is not important, for instruction is necessarily 
individual. The other variations are important. It is unwise 
to put in a single class an absolutely feeble-minded pupil, a 
criminal, and a bright boy whose truancy is due to excess activity 
that cannot tolerate the limitations of the ordinary classroom. 

The reasons for this condition are caused by the widely scat- 
tered centers, the small numbers of pupils, and the lack of accom- 
modation for defective pupils. Even under such conditions, 
it would be wise, when possible, to regrade the various centers 
according to the mental maturity of the jjupils. Certain of the 
parental schools are now housed in school buildings with other 
classes. A class of younger children cou'd be placed in such 
buildings if other centers were lacking. Separate grading should 
be made for defectives. 

The principals of these schools should be called in conference 
for the discussion of their work. Los Angeles is working out 
a scheme for the treatment of truants and delinquents, which 
ought to be full of suggestion not only to this city but to many 
others. Some of the principals have done excellent things, 
even with a limited equipment, and the knowledge of their 
contributions should be shared by all the princ'pals of the corps. 

The supervision of the special schools is sympathetic. It 
should be more intensive. The theory that teachers should be 
untroubled by supervision is sound, when supervision implies 
critical faultfinding or when applied to teachers whose ability 
and experience make such supervision superfluous. Persons 
who are inexperienced or unsuccessful especially need help, 
advice and guidance, by whatever name it may be termed. 

No pupil should be admitted to a special school unless on a 
physician's approval, and on evidence that he is not a mental 
defective. The placing of the latter class of pupils in ungraded 
classes and in special truant schools is due to the lack of pro- 
vision for them except in a single school building in the whole 
city. An adequate history and description of the pupil should 
be given to the teacher. 

The special schools should be continued; the equipment 
should be improved. When possible, the equipment in regular 
school buildings should be used by pupils in special schools. 
The principals of regular schools should be invited to visit these 
schools, and to make criticisms and comments 

The record of attendance, as rey^orted for the four weeks 
ending March 31, 1916, shows an attendance of 143 on an en- 
rollment of 166; an average of 86%. This is a creditable record. 

33 



The five-day rule of discharge does not permit any real estimate 
of the regularity of attendance, but the figures as given compare 
well with attendance in the regular school. 

The efforts of the Supervisor to adopt a follow-up system, 
and to obtain from principals more complete data concerning 
the pupils in parental schools is commended. 

4. Work Permits for Pupils Under Sixteen Years of Age 

The authorization of permits to leave school for pupils under 
sixteen years of age is determined by the state law^ A pupil 
in the public schools may go to work if he has one of the follow- 
ing permits. 

(A) KINDS OF permits AND PROVISIONS 

(1) Vacation Permit: If he has completed the 7tli year of 
school, he may obtain a vacation certificate to permit him to 
work during vacation and holidays. This is issued by the 
principal. 

(2) Permit for Outside of School Hours: A permit for "out- 
side of school hours" will be issued on proof of birth, name of 
intending employer, physical ability, etc. The applicant must 
be fourteen years of age. 

(3) Temporary Permit: This is given without respect to 
grade, and allows a pupil of fourteen years, or over, to go to 
work for the limited period stated in the certificate, on evidence 
that he is without support. In Los Angeles the school authori- 
ties require that the County Charities certify that the case 
represents one in need of help and without possibility of county 
relief. 

(4) Age and Schooling Certificates: Graduate Certificates: 
These are permits given to pupils who have covered a stated 
grade and reached a stated age under sixteen. These are of 
two kinds; one is issued to pupils fifteen years of age who have 
comj)leted the 7th year, and one to pupils fourteen years of age 
who have completed the 8th year. 

In addition, there is a provision which permits pupils to work 
in dramatics and in the motion picture industry, provided that 
their school attendance be not interfered with or that they have 
private instruction under a tutor. 

These provisions are liberal. A temporary permit is question- 
able in that it allows children of little or no schooling to go to 
work. Certain other states find it possible to provide for such 
cases without denying the pupil the opportunity of instruction. 

Legislation which excepts special occupations from the opera- 

34 



tion of general law is unfortunate. It would be better if dramatics 
and the motion picture industry were subject to the same 
general provisions that effect trades as a whole. 

There is a law which allows boys to engage in street trades 
at ten years of age. This law has no regulative feature. The 
Board of Education should be authorized to issue a badge on 
presentation of evidence of birth by which such boys cou'd be 
identified, similar to methods adopted in other large cities. 
The minimum age of ten is low. 

Table 9: Showing Record of Permits of Various Types Issued or 
Approved by the City Superintendent Through the Depart- 
partment of compulsory education 



Permits 


Year 


For school 
year ending 
in June 


From April 
to 
April 


Temporary permits 1 
Indigent 14 years \ 
Any grade j 


1914 
1915 
1916 


62 

79 

*19 




Age and Schooling ^ 
Certificate 1 
8th year completed ( 
Age 15 years J 


1914 
1915 
1916 


461 

442 

*239 




Graduate Certificate ] 

8th year completed 

Age 14 years J 


1914 
1915 
1916 


100 
121 

*96 




Permits to work in 1 
connection with 1 
Dramatics and the [ 
Motion Picture Industry j 


1914 
1915 
1916 




' loo' 

**550 


Vacation Permits 


1914 
1915 
1916 


"■*37 








Outside Permits 


1914 
1915 
1916 


""*Y 





•To May 1, 1916. 

•*256 of these permits are now in force. 



An examination of these figures shows that the number of 
graduate certificates has remained approximately the same for 
three years. Age and schooling certificates indicate a marked 
decrease in number, which is a very encouraging sign. This 
means that the number of pupils leaving school to go to work is 

35 



becoming gradually less. The best record is in the great re- 
duction in the number of temporary permits. The figures 
indicate that school authorities issue such permits on^ under 
extraordinary conditions. 

Is there any way of determining that the number of certificates 
issued accounts for the children under 16 not in school? 

If there were a school census there would be no question of 
assumption. There are grounds, however, for stating that Los 
Angeles is not taking care of all pupils of school age. 



36 



Table 10: Showing 

AND High School 

March 31, 1916 



Number of Pupils in KiNDEuciAUTEN, Elementary 
Grades Enrolled in the Los Angeles Schools 
, Arranged According to Sex, Age and Grade 



Age 


K 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


S 


(Irail 


.S. 

".I Total 


Boys. . . 
5 Girls... 


005 
711 






















Total.. 


1376 




B 

5 G 


1360 
1435 


307 
309 




















T 


2795 


616 


616 


B 

G G 


131 
94 


2188 
2068 


255 
312 


3 
3 
















T 


225 


4256 


567 


6 


482D 


B 

7 G 


9 

4 


870 
707 


1621 
1024 


333 
483 


18 . 
7 


i 












T 


13 


1577 


3245 


816 


25 


1 










.5664 


B 

8 G 




214 

179 


1015 
796 


1275 
1482 


349 
420 


17 
23 

40 












T 




393 


1811 


2757 


769 


5770 


B 

9 G 




54 
44 


276 
200 


840 
836 


1000 a 
1347 a 


05 

88 


IS 
24 

42 










T 


98 


476 


1676 


2347 C 


93 


5332 


B 

10 G 




19 
25 


120 

85 


354 
322 


909 IC 
857 11 


01 
44 


296 
326 


34 

27 








T 




44 


205 


676 


1766 21 


45 


622 


61 






5519 


B 

11 G 




7 
5 


44 
25 


101 
133 


415 g 
360 8 


41 

24 1 


884 
024 


312 
350 


32 
30 


2 




T 




12 


69 


234 


775 16 


65 1 


908 


602 


62 


A 


5389 


B 

12 G 




9 
5 


28 
21 


51 
36 


210 4 
132 3 


92 
62 


898 
806 


798 
956 


2.59 
281 


3C 




T 


14 


49 


87 


342 8 


54 1 


704 1 


754 


540 


114 


5458 


B 

13 G 




3 

2 


7 
7 


16 
20 


104 2 
67 1 


03 
65 


511 
372 


830 
775 


708 
789 


237 
268 




T 




5 


14 


36 


171 3 


68 


883 1 


605 


1497 


50c 


5084 


B 

14 G 




4 
1 


4 
6 


11 
12 

23 


35 1 
38 


16 
59 


188 
154 


478 
402 


700 
680 


68S 
854 


.... 


T 


5 


10 


73 1 


75 


342 


880 


1380 


1543 


4431 


B 

15 G 




5 
1 


2 
3 


9 

7 


16 
9 


55 

28 


109 
62 


209 
167 


452 
322 


looe 

123C 




T 


6 


5 


16 


25 


83 


171 


376 


774 


2236 


3692 


B 

16 G 




4 
1 


4 
3 


7 
3 


6 
3 


20 
12 


23 
15 


42 
32 


125 
80 


986 
120 


9 '.'.'.'. 


T 


5 


7 


10 


9 


32 


38 


74 


205 


2195 


2575 



Zl 



Table 10: continued 



Age 


K 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


Grades 


Total 


B 

17 G 




1 

1 


1 


2 

2 

4 

1 

1 
..... 


"i 


6 
1 


9 
4 


7 
5 

12 

3 
3 

6 

3 


21 
20 


858 
869 




T 

B 

18 G 


. . . . 


2 
3 


1 
2 

2 

3 

1 


1 

1 
2 

3 


7 
2 


13 

1 

1 

2 
1 

3 

1 


41 

3 

2 


1727 

518 
473 


1808 


T 

B 

19 G 


3 
1 

1 
1 


2 

2 
1 


5 

4 
1 


991 

276 
215 

491 

139 
111 


1013 


T 

B 

20 G 


4 




3 

3 

1 

4 

1 


3 


5 

5 


511 


T 

B 

21 G 


1 
1 

1 


1 

1 
1 


250 

169 
110 


258 


T 






1 


1 


2 




5 


279 


307 


Totals . . . 


4409 
Kgn 


7038 


6464 


6343 


6308 
Elem 


6073 
entary 


5550 


5433 


4502 


9981 
High 


62101 






^IfS 



D 



6ir7a 



lYr. zyr. srr. 4Tfr. Sir. t/r. 7Yr. 9Yr. 



3S0O. 







"i 

/ 
/ 


-1 




- 








■fl 












I 
















I 






/ 












/ 

'. 

' 
/ 










^ 
', 
















n 
/ 












/ 
' 
/ 






















f ■ 
















/ 
' 
/ 
/ 


















; 




> 




/ 

/ 






















I' 




; 








/ 
1 
' 
' 














.. 


' 

' 
' 


1 








' 
/ 
/ 












f 









38 



JSs^ 



•FIG-7- 
DuTKisurion or Ti/r/is in KiMdits/ntrsfis. rirMrnr/nf.-/ 
s/O) mcM icHtoL ff-wgjf xeco'Ktini; to nee /i»p sr>. (s^rT^jU ») 



E 













!■! 








J 


/<•?( 















S3M 




i 






1 I 




1 'l 


ssn 




f 

k 

A. 

i. 


<«" 

3Z1S 

lie} 
lilt 




1 1 




1 ' 








1 ■ 




1 ■ 


S4St 
























UJI 










un 




It is not the province of this chapter to consider high school 
attendance except as it includes pupils of compulsory school 
age. Therefore, in order to make comparisons of the number 
of children of medium ages up to sixteen, the number of pupils 
of each age attending high school should be added to the number 
of children of corresponding age Avho are included in the fore- 
going table of elementary attendance. This has been done and 
the figures are here presented. 





Attendance 


hierease Decrease 




Elementary 

school {not 

including 

kindergarten) 


High 
school 


Elementary 
and high 


over 'preceding 
year of age 


6 yrs. old 

7 yrs. old 

8 yrs. old 

9 yrs. old 

10 yrs. old 

11 yrs. old 

12 yrs. old 

13 yrs. old 

14 yrs. old 

15 yrs. old 


4829 
5664 
5770 
5332 
5519 
5387 
5344 
4579 
2888 
1456 






I 

2 

114 

505 

1543 

2236 


4829 
5664 
5770 
5332 
5519 
5389 
5458 
5084 
4431 
3692 


"835 
106 

"isi 

"69' 


"438 

130 

"374» 
653 
739 



39 



The increase of 835 at 7 over 6 years of age is to be expected. 
It is best explained by the great number of children who enter 
the first year at the age of seven. The other increases and 
decreases up to the age of 14 vary from 13^% at 12 years of age 
to 8% at 9 years of age. But the reduction of nearly 27% at 
the age of 15, from the age of 13, is not easily explained. The 
number of graduate certificates is too small to account for the 
decrease. Los Angeles is not exceptional in this disproportionate 
decrease in attendance at the age of 15. Before that age the 
retaining power of the Los Angeles schools is above the average, 
and at age 15 a decrease, even so large as 27%, when compared 
with decreases in other American cities, is not extraordinary. 
But this affords no reason for accepting such a decrease at that 
age as a normal condition. If the provisions of the state com- 
pulsory law be kept in mind the decrease appears excessive. 

Various explanations may be applied to account for this 
condition. There may be merit in all of them. The fact re- 
mains that one obvious explanation presents itself until proved 
or disproved by a census. It is that hundreds of children of 
schooj age are not in school. 

6. Department of Compulsory Education 
(a) personnel and duties 

The present force of the department consists of one super- 
visor, three assistant supervisors and six attendance officers. 
The assistant supervisors also discharge the functions of attend- 
ance officers. Each officer reports to the supervisor in the 
morning, and, after making whatever clerical records are neces- 
sary and attending to telephone "calls from principals, makes a 
program for the day's work, which he gives to the switchboard 
operator. Each officer is supposed to leave at 9.30 or earlier. 
As a matter of fact, officers sometimes leave after that hour. 
As a rule they return to the office at from 3.30 to 4.00 P. M., 
and then make up their records for the day's work. 

(B) SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS 

The rule requiring attendance officers to report personally 
to the office, in the opinion of the committee, might well be sus- 
pended in the case of those officers who could often reach their 
districts earlier in the day by going there directly. Arrange- 
ments could easily be made to insure their presence by having 
them report by telephone from a school at a required hour. 
Filrthermore, the period of day service should be extended. 
The hour of 9.30 is too late to begin field work, and the work of 
investigation should be continued till 5.00 P. M. 

40 » 



The territory which some of the officers are reciuired to cover 
is so large that dependence on trolley travel involves nuich 
waste of time. If the present force is to continue at its present 
number, some arrangement should be made for automobile 
allowance at a prescribed rate, for officers assigned to the sparsely 
settled districts. This provision for expenses would multij)ly 
the officers' usefulness. Properly safeguarded, an automol)ile 
allowance would contribute greatly to the effic ent performance 
of duty. , 

The lack of clerical assistance compels officers and principals 
to use time for purely clerical functions which should be directed 
to the much more important business for which tliey are em- 
ployed. 

All the officers hold teacher's certificates — an excellent 
regulation. The principals who were interviewed stated that 
the service is fairly satisfactory, and that when cases required 
special investigation, action w^as prompt. It Avas added that 
the size of the territory assigned to officers and the limited num- 
ber employed under present conditions, prevented equally 
prompt reports on all cases. 

The records of the office are in excellent condition and com- 
plete. 



7. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 

1 : That a school census be taken and corrected regularly 
each year. 

2: That discharges, whether on transfers or because of the 
five-day rule, or for other reasons, be regulated ac- 
cording to rules which shall be enforced by the 
Department of Compulsory Education. 

3: That the Superintendent prepare a program for im- 
proving the present commendable service of the 
special schools, Avhich shall include better grading, 
more suitable equipment, and wider extension of the 
best methods carried on in some of these schools. 

4: That no pupils be assigned to special schools except 
after medical examination, and upon evidence that 
the pupil is mentally responsible and physically able 
to cover the distance required to reach the school. 

41 



5: That when pupils are assigned to special schools, in 
addition to the usual trans er card, there be a state- 
ment giving a history of each case to be compiled 
by the attendance officer in charge, in co-operation 
with the principa' and teacher who have had the 
pupil in their charge. 

6; That the hours of field service of attendance officers 
be extended, and adequate means of transportation 
afforded when possible. 

7: That a clerk be assigned to the office of the Super- 
visor of Compulsory Education. 



42 



IV 

THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 

1. The Organization of Classes and Employment of 
Teachers in the Elementary Schools 
(A) VARIOUS types of grading 

Besides the regular elementary grades, extending from the 
Kindergarten and first year to the eighth year, Los Angeles makes 
provision for delinquent and truant children in the special 
schools already described; in ungraded classes, for average, 
backward or precocious children; and, to a limited degree, for 
mentally defective children and for deaf children. The extent 
and adequacy of each of these will later be considered. 

(B) distribution of PUPILS IN the regular grages 

The graded system aims to segregate pupils into groups 
whose knowledge, maturity, ability and training are such as to 
make their presence in a single unit of advantage to themselves. 

This does not imply that the pupils so grouped are identical. 
Subgrouping and individual attention and instruction will 
always be necessary in any program for efficient teaching. 

The ideal of purely individual teaching, like other ideals in 
life, is limited in its realization by practical considerations. A 
theorist might claim, for example, that no more than ten pupils 
should be taught by a single teacher; the cost of such a system 
would be prohibitive. But it must always be remembered that 
a grading system cannot afford to distribute pupils so that 
every seat should be filled. Children are not pegs to be placed 
in any available holes. 

The educational authorities as practical administrators must 
supervise the distribution of pupils in grades, not so as to see 
how cheaply it can be done, but how well it can be done under 
the practical lim tations imposed by distance, seating capacity 
and amount of funds at hand. 

Excluding from consideration the segregation of those special 
types of pupils whose presence in the regular grades would be 
of positive disadvantage to other pupils and to themselves, the 
subject of inquiry is, "How successfully does the present grad- 
ing system distribute pupils in regular grades in the Los Angeles 
schools?" 

43 



There is no standard of that number of class enrolhnent which, 
without extravagance, will conserve the best interests of pupils. 
Such investigations as have been made, based on the somewhat 
dubious criterion of number of promotions, permits an enroll- 
ment in excess of 35 and less than 40. 

This is not a positive standard, though a fairly good one in 
practice for regular elementary pupils.* 

*For investigation of size of classes, consult "Size of Class as a Factor in EflSciency" Har- 
lan: (Educational Administration and Supervision, March 1915): "Class Size and School Pro- 
gress," Boyer (Phychological Clinic, May 1915): "Size of Classes and School Progress," 
Cornman (Psychological Clinic, December 1909.) 

(C) SIZE OF CLASSES 

The Board of Education recently received a report based on 
actual attendance showing the average attendance per class in 
the Los Angeles Schools to be 27. Enrollment and not attend- 
ance is a proper basis for determining assignment of teachers. 
Moreover, in the report referred to, all types of classes were 
included; ungraded classes, parental classes, defective classes. 
The divisor was not the actual number of class units, but the 
number of regular teachers, plus the number of principals. 
Obviously, this method of computation is misleading. 

The average enrollment of class units under a single elemen- 
tary teacher in regular grades is, in the schools of Los Angeles, 
for the four weeks ending March 3, not 27 but 35. This does 
not indicate an extravagant assignment of teachers. 

In presenting the facts of distribution by schools and grades, 
it has seemed wise to divide the schools into two groups, those 
in the more congested region of the city and those outside of it. 

If from the corner of San Pedro and Fourteenth Streets as a 
center, a circle with a four-mile radius be drawn, this circle 
would enclose a territory covering approximately fifty square 
miles. The part of the city school district outside of this circle 
wou'd cover approximate y 350 square miles. 

Table 11: Showing Relative Size and Number of Regular Elemen- 
tary Schools Inside and Outside the Four-Mile District 



Schools having 


Within four-mile 


Outside four-mile 


enrollment 


circle 


circle 


Under 100 


3 


25 




' 200 


6 


21 




' 300 


11 


9 




' 400 


12 


6 




' 500 


20 


4 




' 600 


9 


2 




' 700 


9 






' 800 


3 






' 900 


2 






' 1000 


1 





44 



It will be noted that of the 75 schools with less than 400 
enrollment, 20 are within the four-mile district and 55 out of it. 
There are 29 schools with an enrollment of from 400 to GOO in 
the district, and hut G such schools without. No school out of 
the four-mile d'strict had as many as GOO pupils enrolled; there 
were 15 such schools in the district. 

Table li: Sho.wincj Av'erage Enrollment per Class for School 
According to Enrollment 

AVERAGE enrollment PER CLASS FOR EACH SCHOOL 



Classes having 


Number of 


Number of 




average enrollmrnt 


schools loithitL 


schools outside 


Total 


of from 


4- mile circle 


4-milc circle 




10 to 20 




5 


5 


20 to 25 


2 


9 


11 


25 to 30 


3 


21 


24 


30 to 35 


12 


19 


31 


35 to 40 


34 


13 


47 


40 to 45 


22 




22 


45 to 50 


3 




3 


50 to 55 








Totals 


76 


67 


143 



riG-8- 

TttirKtSuTia/i or SMJiii fiMj) j./jircE schools /m fi/ij> our 

or T/tr -4- M/J.E /TKEfJ (Sre TjijU /z) 




T/iKouniht /o-te. ta-zs. tj-ie. jo-jj-. ar-fo. -to-ts. 4s-s: 

Such average enrol ments as are 10 to 20 or 20 to 25 for in- 
dividua schools immediately challenge examinations. There 
may be good reasons why 28 per cent, of the schools of the city 
have an enrollment of ess than 30, and why 35 per cent, of the 
schools should have an average register in excess of 40, but it 
should be established that the necessity exists. An average 
register of more than 40 in a school implies a number of classes 
in excess of that figure. 

45 



Table 13: Showing the Number of Classes Within the Four-Mile 

District and Out, According to Selected Limits of Enrollment in 

Regular and Ungraded Classes 



Classes 
having En- 
rollment 
of 


Within four-mile circle 


Outside four-mile circle 


Regular 


Ungraded 


Total 


Regular 


Ungraded 


Total 


10-14 
15-19 
20-24 
25-29 
30-34 
35-39 
40-44. 
45-49 
50-54 


5 

8 

30 

70 

200 

251 

254 

84 

16 


"35' 

25 

4 

3 


5 

43 

55 

74 

203 

251 

254 

84 

16 


4 
14 
35 

70 
86 
88 
52 

7 
1 


12" 
4 
1 


4 
26 
39 
71 
86 
88 
52 
7 
1 


Total 


918 


67 


985 


357 


17 


374 



Number of regular classes 1275 

Number of ungraded classes 84 



Total number of classes 1359 

'Kiaui/iK g^>yjjr ci^s3£5 , in m/jd avr or tmi. 

^MIL^ CITZCX^L. (see TshU /j) 



l /n //)<: -^mr/tr Jisfrief. I \oiil a/ f/s^'ffni/^ ^PisUiel . 



arises 
27s 

ZSO 



Z 00 

I IS 
ISO 
I HJ 

100 

IS 
So 

ts 



v^'tT-j 



I 



i 

■ 



I 



u 



I- 



i 



i 



M 



T/tXOiLMIHT. /fetLtSi. Z0le9. Jo £3* iSTi3^. 4tTi44: 4S<rrn„^e. 



46 



There were 1275 class units in the reguUir elementary grade, 
each requiring the services of a regular teacher. Of these 376, 
or about 30 per cent, were distributed in 87^^ per cent, of the 
school territory. As might be expected, classes in this territory 
were smaller; the paucity of pupils would increase the difficulty 
of proper grading; the distance between schools would make 
adjustments for better grading difficult; the cost of instruction 
for the pupils would necessari y be greater. 

A closer analysis of the table shows that in the four-mile 
district, there are 313 classes smaller and 354 classes larger than 
are necessary or desirable, according to prevailing standards. 

This does not mean that all the small classes can be in- 
creased or that all the large classes can be decreased. Such 
miracles of educational administration can be perfo.^med on 
paper only. 

It does mean that a statement of such facts, accompanied by 
distribution in grades, should be studied by educational adminis- 
trators when the organization sheet for the new term is pre- 
sented, in order to discover what re-adjustments might be made 
within the schools or in neighboring schools, not only or pur- 
poses of economy, but for better grading and for the reduction 
of large class units. 

Principals alone cannot do this. Their efforts are limited to 
their own schools. All of them are deeply concerned in the 
welfare of pupils; not all of them have learned that the best type 
of administration is one which not only secures the maximum 
results educationally, but which can do so without an unneces- 
sary number of teachers. Not every teacher of a school staff 
must be retained in a particular building if the services of one 
are not needed there, and if she may as easily be dispensed wuth 
for service in another building during a succeeding semester. 



47 



Table 14: Showing Enrollment by Groups of Classes in the Grades 
With Medians, for Regular Elementary Classes (Excluding 
Ungraded and Special Classes), for the Four Weeks 
Ending March 3, 1916 



Grade oj 
Class 


10-14 


15-19 


20-24 


25-29 


30-34 


35-39 


40-44 


45-49 


50-54 


Med- 
ian 


Istyr 

1-2 " 

2nd " 

2-3 '• 

3rd " 

3-4 " 

4th " 

4-5 " 

5th " 

5-6 " 

6th " 

6-7 " 

7th " 

7-8 " 

8th " 

Several grades 
in a class 
















1 



8 



1 
1 





1 



1 
2 
1 

15 


4 

4 
2 
2 

2 

1 
1 
3 
2 
1 
3 
3 
2 

35 


28 
10 
9 
8 
8 
9 
5 
2 
8 
10 
5 
1 
2 
6 
4 

25 


56 
21 
34 
10 
32 

9 
16 

5 
25 

9 
22 

3 
11 

9 
14 

10 


48 
15 
40 
18 
32 
11 
48 
15 
30 

9 
45 

6 
10 

3 

8 

1 


39 

6 
33 
11 
49 
10 
34 
16 
40 
13 
27 

2 
10 

6 

6 

4 


8 
1 

12 
3 
8 
2 

16 
6 

10 
1 

13 

3 



4 



2 

1 
1 
2 
6 
1 
1 
3 



1 

3 




34.4 

31.5 

36.5 

35.8 

38 

36 

37.8 

39 

38 

34.3 

37.3 

35.3 

35.8 

30.6 

33.3 

23 


Total 


9 


22 


65 


140 


286 


339 


308 


91 


17 


35 7 



TIG. IO- 



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Jtf 
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It 

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/f»f/aMa. 113. ft*, at. ts. isi. i-*1- "»• ■♦«. tit. 4S. it*. i5. 4-1. >». Jt. lot. 

48 



The grades having a median register of less than 35 were in the 
order of smallest enrollment. 

(1) Classes in which more than four half -grades were 

represented. 

(2) Certain classes in which four half-grades were taught, 

i. e. median combination classes of grades 7 and 8 
grades 1 and 2 and grades 5 and G. 

(3) Classes of the eighth year. 

(4) Classes of the first year. 

The grades having a median enrollment of more than 37 
were in the order of largest enrollment. 

(1) Combination classes of grades 4 and 5. 

(2) Classes of grade 3. 

(3) Classes of grade 4 

(4) Classes of grade 6 

(5) Classes of grade 5 

The distribution of classes with enrollment in excess of 39 was: 
Enrollment 40-44 306 classes, or 24. per cent, of the total. 
45-49 91 " " 7.2 " " " " " 
50-54 17 " " 1.3 " " " " " 

Every effort should be made in a school system to reduce 
these congested classes. 

The distribution of regular elementary classes with enrollment 
less than 30 was : 

Enrollment less than 20, 31 classes, or 2.4 per cent, of the 

total. 
Enrollment 20-24, 65 classes, or 5.1 per cent, of the total. 
25-29, 140 " " 10.9 " " " " " 

Some of these small enrollments are probably necessary 
because of the establishment of classes in sparsely inhabited 
districts. 

A comparison of the number of classes by grades is shown 
in Table 15. 



49 



Table 15: Showing Number of Classes by Grades, Not Including 
Ungraded or Special Classes 



Grade 

of 
Class 


Number of classes 








Of a full or half 
grade 


Of more than a 
full grade 


Of more than 2 
full grades 


1 year 


193 
132 
131 
120 
118 
'il4 

"4i 

"38 


'go' 

53 
'49" 

46' 
'45' 

13' 
'30' 




1-2 " 








2 " 




2-3 " 




3 " 




3-4 " 




4 " 




4-5 " 




5 " 




5-6 " 




6 " 




6-7 " 




7 " 




7-8 " . 




8 " 




More than 2 full 
grades 


102 


Totals 


887 


296 


102 



Total 1275 

It will be observed that the number of classes is relatively 
consistent excepting for the sudden descent in number of grade 
1 to grade 2, and of grade 6 to grades 7 and 8. The fall in grades 
3 and 4 is probably accoimted for by the enlarged enrollments 
of classes, and the reduction in grades 5 and 6, which have smaller 
enro'lments from causes which can be discovered only when a 
careful analysis can be made of reasons for discharge of pupils 
in those grades. The Los Angeles City School District offers 
an excellent field for important studies of the kind that will 
affect the proper distribution of classes. They may be made 
when facilities will be available. 

The great fall in grades 7 and 8 was explained in a large meas- 
u e by the establishment of the Intermediate Schools. It 
must not be hastily assumed that these schools entirely explain 
the difference, for such assumptions require confirmation by 
future study. 



(D) DUPLICATION OF SERVICE IN GRADES 7 AND 8 

The Intermediate School is considered elsewhere in this 
report. Without reference to its merits, it is to be noted that 
an intermediate school bears very close relation to cost of in- 

50 



struction in elementary schools. If, for example, this type of 
school shou d accomodate pupils of the seventh and eighth years 
from neighboring elementary schools, and if the cost of instruc- 
tion were equivalent to the cost of employing teachers for these 
grades in the elementary schools, cost would l)e a negligible 
factor. If the Intermediate school employs a greater number 
of teachers than would be required in the elementary schools 
for the same number of children, or if such teachers are paid 
higher salaries (as is the case in Los Angeles), then for both 
reasons the cost would be higher. It would be necessary in 
such a case to consider whether increased cost was compensated 
for by improved service or by greater educational benefit to 
pupils. This is a topic belonging properly to a discussion of 
the Intermediate schools. 

But if, in addition to the cost of teachers in Intermediate 
schools, whether less or more, or whether the instruction be 
better or not, the Elementary schools, which feed the Inter- 
mediate school, also establish seventh and eighth grades of 
their own, then the Board of Education is duplicating service. 

In several cases, at the request of parents, some pupils have 
been kept in the elementary schools and some have been sent 
to Intermediate schools, the exceptions being made for various 
reasons, all of them doubtless satisfactory !to the educational 
authorities, and all of them contributing to increased cost. 

If this method of election is to be determined by parents, then 
the cost of teaching in these grades will be increased to the 
extent that duplication occurs. Parents are not responsible 
for school administration. Parents are and should be interested 
in what appears to them to be the best educational interests of 
their particular child as they see it. They cannot appreciate 
the whole problem of administration as it affects all children. 
When the organization and administrat'on of the school system 
is to be determined primarily by local bodies of citizens, a Board 
of Educat on must be prepared to pay heavily. The duplica- 
tion of seventh and eighth grade teachers, the multiplication of 
very small classes in high schools, and similar provisions in- 
crease cost at a rapid rate. In this matter it would be wnse, 
both on the ground of equity to all localities, and of reasonable 
expenditure, to establish a clearly defined policy for which the 
Board of Education and its officers would be responsible and 
which they would carry out consistently. 

(E) GENERAL CONCLUSIONS 

In general, it may be stated that the waste due to the employ- 
ment of an unnecessary number of grade teachers is probably 
not a large one. A careful examination, checked by reference 

51 



to seating capacity, distance, and propriety of grading, indicates 
that the total number of classes could have been reduced by 
approximately 25, — a waste of but 2 per cent in this respect. 
This conservative statement, it must be understood, applies to 
the appointment of regular grade teachers, not to that of all the 
teachers in the elementary schools. 

The enrollment of congested classes should be reduced. This 
should be a matter of first consideration in offering plans of 
school organization before the beginning of the term or semester. 



(F) RECOMMENDATIONS 

The Committee recommends: 

1: That proposed organization of each semester be re- 
gularly examined before the semester begins, by 
officers in charge of schools, for the purpose of deter- 
mining adjustments, consolidations and transfers, in 
order to avoid the organization of over-sized classes, 
or the assignment of unnecessary teachers, if any. 
Charts arranged to show proposed enrollments ac- 
cording to grades and number of pupils will be found 
of advantage in making such an examination. 

2: That the number of teachers to be permanently em- 
ployed for a year be determined by the number re- 
quired in the semester in which the enrollment is 
lower. This is usually the spring semester, which 
may be approximated in advance. This recommenda- 
tion is made on the assumption that it is legally 
possible to employ competent teachers for the period 
during which their services may be required. 

3 : That an examination be made of the schools now acting 
as feeders to intermediate schools, to determine what 
policy should be established, either as to duplication 
of seventh and eighth grades in elementary and inter- 
mediate schools, or duplication in certain selected 
schools, or no duplication. 

4: That, in accordance with the recommendations fre- 
quently made, there be established a division which 
will collate data and prepare statements to enable 
the executive head to assign teachers and to grade 
schools so as to secure the best results for instruction 
without any unnecessary expenditure. 

52 



2. Special Types of Organization in Regular 
Elementary Schools 

Besides the special schools for truants and delinquents, there 
are classes for those whose presence conflicts with the instruc- 
tion of the majority of the pupils, and whose own progress is 
impeded in regular classes because of over-age, backwardness, 
precociousness or mental or physical disability. Such pupils 
when not provided for in ungraded classes are placed in classes 
for defectives or for the deaf . There are therefore, (1) Ungraded 
classes, (2) Classes for defective or feeble-minded children, and 
(3) Classes for the deaf. , 

(A) UNGRADED CLASSES 

/. Number and Enrollment 
Table 16: Showing the Number of Ungraded Classes and Enroll- 
ment In and Out of the Four-Mile District, According 
TO Groups 



Enrollment 


10-14 


15-19 


20-24 


25-29 


30-34 


Total 


Inside 4-mile Dis- 
trict 

Outside 4-inile Dis- 
trict 


1 


34 

10 


25 
4 


5 
2 


3 


67 
17 


Total 


1 


44 


29 


7 


3 


84 



The median enrollment for the city of ungraded classes is 
18.6. This,- if measured by ordinary standards, is a costly 
organization; yet it may mean educational economy. Like 
the special classes for truants and delinquents which have yet 
lower enrollment, the ungraded classes are, generally speaking, 
a good educational investment. 

An examination of the distribution of ungraded classes in- 
dicates that there are schools in which the proportion of un- 
graded pupils to the total enrollment does appear unnecessarily 
large, and with no apparent reason. One school in a good 
neighborhood has an enrollment of 169 with 14 of the pupils 
in an ungraded class, a ratio of .085. Another school with an 
enrollment of 862 in a neighborhood that ought to present some 
real problems, has an ungraded class of 21, or a ratio of .027. 
These rat os cannot be uniform, but the discrepancies seem large. 
Every scheme of schoo' organization, however excellent, is 
measured by some enthusiastic principal who has no thought 
whatever of reasonable limits of expenditure. What is needed 
is a method of careful supervision that will prevent excesses. 

SZ 



It is desirable not only to know that the ungraded classes are 
discharging a most useful function, but to be able to demon- 
strate their value more closely. This could be done partially 
and indirectly by examining what influence the establishment 
of ungraded classes had had upon the progress of pupils in re- 
gular grades. It can be done directly by tracing the progress of 
pupils in the ungraded classes and comparing it with their 
previous progress. Unfortunately no such study has been made, 
and it is impossible to make one in the time at hand. It is fair 
to assume they are a valuable aid; the opinions of principals 
and teachers strengthen that assumption. The reduction in 
over-age pupils confirms it. (cf. Table 18). 



Table 17: Showing the Enrollmen-t of Pupils in Ungraded Classes 
According to Dominant Individual Characteristics, as Re- 
ported BY Principals and Teachers for the Four 
Weeks Ending March 31 

Slow and backward 397 

not over age 281 

Over age, but not retarded 184 

Unable to speak or to understand English 313 

Physically defective, weak, nervous, etc 218 

Making up time, and very bright 75 

Making up time lost through illness, late entrance, etc 19 

Mentally defective 169 

Truants 5 

Incorrigible, criminal, disorderly 42 

Various other causes 64 

Total 1767 

Note: — Some returns were made on the basis of enrollment and some 
.On the basis of attendance. 

This list, except partially in the case of those unable to under- 
stand or to speak English, does not represent segregations by 
classes. As a rule, classes contain from 2 to 9 of the different 
types of pupils in a single group. 

The defect in the system is the same defect noted in treating 
of special schools, and in more marked degree. The ungraded 
class is conceived, primarily, as a method for the relief of the 
regular classes; the purpose of the ungraded class becomes 
negative, not for itself but for the others. 

The difficulty cannot be solved by the principal or teacher 
alone. A separate teacher cannot be selected for each class of 
pupils. Considering the differences in character of pupils, 
and notwithstanding the small enrollment, teaching in the 

54 



d asses is very difficult. The teacliers probably do all that one 
teacher could do, — they depend on a system of grouping and 
individual instruction that accomplishes a great deal, but cannot 
accomplish the impossible. 

As at present constituted, however, these different types of 
l)upils should not be gathered in a single room. No good author- 
ity could be quoted for placing together mentally defective 
pupils and backward pupils. 

It will be the duty of the supervising authority of a group of 
schools to collate information such as is contained in these 
tables, and to regrade pupils in neighboring schools, so that 
ungraded classes can be organized on the basis of those par- 
ticular types shown of pupils who can most wisely be assembled 
in one room. 

The city has already made provision for truants and incor- 
rigibles, and the ungraded should not duplicate the work of 
these schools. The city has made some inadequate provision 
for mentally defective pupils. If deficient pupils now in un- 
graded classes are to be taught properly, some provision will 
have to be made for them. 



//. The Over-Age Pupil 

It will be noted that ungraded classes make provision for 
over-age pupils; of the 1767 pupils reported, 22.5 per cent were 
over age and backward pupils, and 10.4 per cent were over age 
pupils who had not been retarded. The ungraded class is well 
adapted, under the best conditions, to help such pupils. Over 
age is a relative term. As the term is used in Los Angeles, it 
means that pupils who graduate at 14 years of age or more are 
over age, the pupil being over age at any grade below the 8th 
at a corresponding year. Thus a pupil just leaving A-5 to enter 
B-6, who was 11 or more, would be over age, and less than 10 
under age. This is called the "up to fourteen" standard. It 
is really not important whether an "up to fourteen" or an "up 
to fifteen" standard be established, if the standard is clearly 
understood. 

One defect of these tables is that the tables are made from data 
giving the year only, there being no division either by half years 
or half grades. This method gives less accurate results. All 
figures in Tables 18, 19, 20, are made from data giving age in 
years only, and without more exact reference. 



55 



Table 18: Showing Percentage of Over- Age Pupils as of October 
1914, AND March, 1916, from Data Supplied by the City 
Superintendent 





Percentage 
Under age 


Percentage 
Grade age 


Percentage 
Over age 


Grade 


Oct. 30, 
1914 


March 31, 
1916 


Oct. 30, 
1914 


]\Iarch 31, 
1916 


Oct. 30, 
1914 


March 31, 
1916 


First 

Second 

Third 

Fourth 

Fifth 

Sixth 

Seventh .... 
Eighth 


9.0 
9.0 
9.8 
10.2 
10.8 
10.5 
17,5 
10.5 


9.0 
9.0 
13.0 
13.0 
12.0 
12.0 
14.0 
13.0 


57.4 
47.4 
40.7 
35.8 
32.7 
29.1 
24.0 
29.7 


60.0 
50.0 
43.0 
37.0 
36.0 
33.0 
32.0 
34.0 


33.6 
43.5 
49.4 
54.3 
56.4 
60.5 
58.3 
59.6 


31.0 
41.0 
44.0 
50.0 
52.0 
55.0 
53.0 
54.0 


Percentage 
for all grades 


9.8 


11.3 


35.4 


42.8 


55.8 


45.9 



CH/rMG:E /n 3>/5tkib utiqh or flar /f/jP GKffDs 



OCT. /f/4. 



M/}TZCH-J4I6 



fiormgl 

M4£ 



Uridirr ffae. 




Over 



This comparison indicates that over-age has decreased ma- 
terially in Los Angeles. The increase in the number of un- 
graded classes in Los Angeles (69-84) during this period is un- 
doubtedly one cause of this improvement. 

On the other hand, the number of over-age pupils who were 
not promoted the last term is more than half of those of the full 
number of non-promoted pupils in the schools. 

56 



///. N on- Promotion; Number and Percentage 

Table 19: Showing Number of Non-Promotions and Percentage of 
Non-Promotions in the Elementary Schools at the Beginning 
of the Present Semester, Distributed According 
to "Under-Age," "Grade-Age" and "Over-Age" Pupils 



(Iradc 


Under age 


Grade age 


Over age Total 


Number 


Percent. 


Number 


Percent. 


Number 


Percent. 




1st 

2nd 

3rd 

4th 

5th 

6th 

7th 

8th 


13 
12 
22 
15 

8 
12 
10 

3 


01 
02 
04 
04 
02 
04 
07 
04 


687 
193 
221 
95 
93 
59 
25 
21 


60 
35 
35 
21 
23 
20 
18 
30 


439 
353 
387 
339 
300 
219 
102 
47 


39 
63 
61 

75 
75 
70' 
75 
66 


1139 
558 
630 
449 
401 
290 
137 
• 71 


Totals.. 


95 


.0258 


1394 


.3795 


2186 

1 


.5948 


3675 



TUTIL^ IN ^J^MSJiT/fXy SCHOOLS (^SeeTsife il) 



/ OVTK 


ffGJE 7'0-PlL-b 


1 HOT 


THOMO TED 




\ hOT 7n?0M0TEl> ^ 




^ ^ 



UtiDTR USE ToPlL*, 



No child should be forced beyond his abiHty whether over 
age or under. On the other hand, a course of study should be 
so modified for over-age pupils that they may be able to learn 
;vhat is absolutely essential for progress in as short a time as 
possible. 

57 



It should be noted that of the number of pupils who were not 
promoted at the beg nn"ng of the present semester, 52% were 
less than a year over-age. There are cities which use a dif- 
ferent test from that of Los Angeles. If the "up to fifteen" stan- 
dard of such cities were employed, the number of non-promoted 
over-age pupils would be 1043, or 29% of the total of non-pro- 
motions. 

A more detailed analysis has been prepared by the Committee, 
and is presented in Table 20. 



58 



Table 20: Showin 
Beginning of 



G Number of Boys and Girls not Promote at the 
THE Last Semester (February, 1916), 
Arranged According to Age 





5 


G 


7 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 


1 
13 


1 
14 

1 


15 


16 
1 


17 
and 
over 


Total 


Und. 
Age 


Gr. 

Age 


Ov. 

Age 


Total 


1st: 
B 


13 


297 


197 
125 


40 
46 


10 
6 


4 
6 


1 


1 


1 


654 
485 










G 












13 


687 


439 




T 


13 


687 


322 


86 


16 


10 


1 


1 


1 


1 




1 






1139 










2iid: 
B 




8 
4 


108 

85 


103 

99 


55 
39 


17 
17 


7 
5 


4 
2 


2 
2 


1 








305 
253 










G 


























12 


193 


353 




T 




12 


193 


202 


94 


34 


12 


6 


4 


1 










558 














3rd: 
B 






9 
13 


113 
108 


101 
113 


58 
58 


20 

18 


14 


5 










320 
310 










G 




















22 


221 


387 




T 






22 


221 


214 


116 


38 


14 


5 












630 
















4th: 
B 








5 
10 


48 
47 


62 

81 


60 
49 


22 
20 


14 
11 


8 
4 


4 

2 


1 


1 


223 

226 










G 








15 


95 


339 














T 








15 


95 


143 


109 


42 


25 


12 


6 


1 


1 




44^» 












5th: 
B 










1 

6 


52 
41 


52 

55 


63 
51 


21 

20 


17 
6 


7 
6 


2 




213 

188 










G 








1 














T 








1 


7 


93 


107 


114 


41 


23 


13 


2 

1 






8 
12 


93 
59 


300 
219 


401 






164 
126 




6th: 
B 












6 
5 


36 
23 


55 
36 


34 
36 


20 
18 


12 

7 




G 










1 
















T 










1 


11 


59 


91 


70 


38 


19 


1 






290 


















7th: 
B 














7 
2 


13 
12 


22 
21 


23 
18 


10 
6 


2 




77 
60 


10 


25 


102 




G 












1 


















T 












1 


9 


25 


43 


41 


16 


2 






137 




















8th: 
B 
















2 

1 


11 
10 


14 

7 


10 
5 


1 

4 


5 

1 


43 

28 










G 




































T 
















3 


21 


21 


15 


5 


6 




3 


21 


47 


71 




















Tot. 


























3675 


95 


1394 


2186 


3675 



59 



IV. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 
1: That the ungraded classes be continued. 
2: That the present organizat on of ungraded classes be 
examined to determine the need of reduction and 
extension, and to arrange for a better method of 
selecton. 

3; That when necessary, principals receive more definite 

suggestion as to the character of pupils who may be 

segregated in ungraded classes. 
4: That the present method of securing over-age statistics 

be modified so that returns may be made by months 

and years of birth. 

(B) CLASSES FOR DEFECTIVES OR FEEBLE-MINDED CHILDREN 

I. Present Provisions 

In the Twenty-third Avenue school there are three classes 
for defectives with an enrollment of 39. This represents all 
that is being done for the special instruction of such pupils in 
the whole city. 

The present provisions are wofully inadequate. Because of 
the lack of a school census there is no way of telling how many 
such children there now are in the city. The laboratory at- 
tached to the Department of Health reports that between 300 
and 400 pupils have been pronounced defective. The ungraded 
schools report 169 such pupils, none of whom should be enrolled 
in such classes. There are 18 others in the special schools who 
should never have been placed there. How many more there 
are now in homes receiving no attention whatever, there is no 
means of telling. 

If the city of Los Angeles is to conduct a school system for 
all the children of the city, a great deal more must be done. The 
present classes in Twenty-third Avenue are excellent in them- 
selves, but they represent a beginning, and a very small be- 
ginning, only. 

The business of the educational administrators is to present 
the facts; in this case the approximate number of pupils who 
should be cared for, with the reasons for such necessity. 

Experimental organizations should be established. These 
should be carefully watched and a statement made of the results. 
In Los Angeles the establishment of classes for defective pupils 
as an experiment, is not necessary. The experiment has al- 
ready been tried out successfully. Following this a program 

60 



for extension sliould be prepared to include a statement of work 
to be undertaken year by year until full service has been es- 
tablished. Such a statement should indicate the methods 
proposed. Attached to it there should be an estimate of what 
is required, tuition, furniture, supplies, etc., with the cost, the 
number of teachers, the equipment, buildings, rental, etc. 
Under such circumstances a community will understand exactly 
what is contemplated, — it can weigh the reasons offered, and 
accept or reject the method of procedure, and the probable cost. 
The lack of such an organized program will explain the very 
unsatisfactory condition of many educational experiments. 
They are tolerated at the beginning because they are interesting, 
p cturesque, or impressive. When the real occasion of their 
existence must be confronted, i. e., the extension of the service, 
such matters as additional cost for land, equipment and tuition, 
are looked at askance, because the necessity for them had not 
been anticipated. Further extension is discouraged. There 
are certain things which a good educational system ought to do. 
These should be clearly set forth. American cities are usually 
willing to pay, and pay well, for educational activities in whcih 
they believe. Under such circumstances the extension of neces- 
sary educational activities will be expected as a normal and 
proper development. 

It may be assumed, — and only an assumption is possible, — 
that there are from 400 to 500 feeble-minded children in the 
Los Angeles schools who are receiving no proper training and 
for whom no institutional or school care is now provided. 

There are 300 such pupils in excess of those now being pro- 
vided for, who can now be found. If institutional care be 
included, the number would be larger. Unfortunately, the 
schools will have to take care of many such pupils until insti- 
tutional care is available. 

At a very modest estimate, 25 to 30 teachers will eventually 
be required to care for defective children. They cannot all be 
housed in one building. It is absurd to talk of caring for 300 
pupils in one place to accomodate a population distributed in an 
area of 400 square miles, when the children must travel twice 
daily the distance between home and school. 

Within the year, centers for experiments should be established 
in such centers of population as further investigation may prove 
desirable. These centers may be housed in bungalows suf- 
ficiently large to hold 4 teachers. Subsequent extension must be 
decided by examination of residental districts to determine the 
locality most convenient for the greatest number of defective 
pupils. 

61 



II. The Psychological Laboratory 

Los Angeles maintains a well equipped laboratory as part of 
the work of the Department of Health and Development. To 
it pupils may be sent for examination, not only to determine 
mental ability, but to discover pathological conditions. Such 
advice is given as may be necessary. The laboratory is un- 
evenly used; apparently its facilities are unknown to many 
teachers or disregarded by them. Others employ its services 
frequently. 

A psychological laboratory implies the services of a competent 
psychologist. Examination of children's mentality should be 
made by a clinical psychologist and a physician. If both abil- 
ities are possessed by a single individual, this does not destroy 
the vital distinction between the two functions. Mental pro- 
cesses and physical processes are reciprocal in their influence, 
and any exclusive interpretation of a child's mental condition 
should be determined by examination of psychological and 
physiological condition. 

///. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 

1 : The formulation of a complete program for dealing with 

the problem of dependent children. 
2: The establishment of three or four centers instead of one. 
3: The extablishment of standards of training, study, and 

experience for teachers of these classes. 
4: The provision for periodical report on the progress of 

work performed and for discussion and contributions 

by persons engaged therein. 
5: Provisions for testing the mentality of children by one 

or more than one person, which shall include both a 

psychological and a medical examination. 



(C) CLASSES FOR THE DEAF 

Eight teachers in the 16th Street School are employed in 
teaching the deaf. In Polytechnic High School there is another. 
The method is oral and communication by the older manual 
method is not permitted. It may prove necessary to establish 
another center for the deaf, but this should not be undertaken 
until a sufficient number of pupils is assured to make proper 
grading possible. Single isolated classes made up of deaf pupils 
who differ in age, intelligence, and school grading, do not offer 
promise of successful educational results. 

62 



(D) SCHOOLS FOR CRIPPLED, BLIND, EPILEPTIC AND 
OTHER DEFECTIVES 

/. Present Provisions 

There are no classes for anaemic pupils. The extraordinary cli- 
mate of California permits much more open air teaching than is 
possible in less fortunate localities. It seems strange that the 
architecture of many of the buildings is such as might be chosen 
in the northern and eastern part of the country, not by deliberate 
choice but through necessity. The city of Los Angeles might 
well consider the desirability of erecting buildings with large 
windows and glass doors that can be open a large part of the 
year. Such a row of buildings around a playground, bordered by 
the gardens that pupils cultivate, would not only be more suit- 
able but more beautiful than square brick structures. Fresh 
air and sunlight in southern California are so generous y pro- 
vided by nature that nothing should be done to prevent children, 
anaemic or otherwise, from enjoying them to the full. The 
building policy should be planned, not after conceptions that 
are determined by atmospheric conditions elsewhere, but by 
those that exist in Los Angeles. Such a program offers a 
great opportunity for the ideal housing of school children. 

Los Angeles makes no provision for certain other types of 
pupils such as the blind and crippled. x\rrangements should be 
made for a system of transportation of crippled children in the 
more congested parts o" the city. At least one class for blind 
children should be established. 

II. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 

1: That until a census be made, principals be directed to 
obtain through pupils the names and residences of 
crippled children who are not receiving any instruc- 
tion. 

2: That centers be established in these districts when 
needed, such centers to be class rooms selected in the 
first floors of buildings with facilities of easy egress. 

3: That for such crippled children as are unable to walk, 
a bus line be established which shall call at the re- 
spective homes of children and return them after the 
school sessions. 

4: That similar inquiry as suggested in paragraph 1, be 
made concerning blind and other physically handi- 
capped children who are not now receiving proper 
instruction, so that instruction may be given in the 
usual school branches in a special class, by a teach- 
er properly trained. 

63 



(E) THE EMPLOYMENT OF EXTRA TEACHERS TO 
TEACH SPECIAL SUBJECTS 

The elementary school curriculum has been expanding steadily, 
and that expansion has become especially notable within recent 
years. 

Among the subjects that have been added to the old course 
of study of the 3 R's, are woodwork, cookery, sewing, music, 
drawing, primary, manual arts, gardening, and foreign languages. 
In the schools of Los Angeles teachers are employed to taech 
special subjects in some classes. These are in addition to the 
usual supervisors for such special subjects. There are many 
classes, however, in which no extra teacher is employed. 

The causes wh'ch have tended to increase greatly the number 
of special teachers so employed have been the inability, real or 
assumed, of regular grade teachers to do the work, and the appar-; 
ent failure of some of the normal schools to fit their graduates 
to teach such subjects. 

The questions which arise in connection with such employ- 
ment are: 

Are specially equipped teachers necessary for ins- 
truction IN the special subjects.'^ 

If so, does the necessity apply to all special subjects? 
If necessary, does it follow that regular teachers may 

NOT HAVE or ATTAIN THE ABILITY REQUIRED? 

If SPECIAL TEACHERS, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM REGULAR 
GRADE TEACHERS ARE NECESSARY; WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIN- 
CIPLE REGULATING THEIR ASSIGNMENT AS TO GRADES AND NUM- 
BER? 

1. Are Specially Equipped Teachers Necessary for such Ins- 
truction? If So, Does the Necessity Apply to All Special Sub- 
jects or to Some Only? 
The argument for the employment of special teachers is 
simple and direct. Other things being equal, the better a teacher 
knows her subject, the more competent she is to teach it. No 
one can question the soundness of the argument as stated. But 
are all other things equal? 

To discuss this is to present the other side of the question. 
Is the object in the education of children to give technical excel- 
lence, or to use the subject as a means of training? In the 
adolescent period, the pupil should begin to learn that he must 
adapt himself to world requirements. A high school boy or 
girl has special teachers to enable him best to master the work 

64 



before liiin, wliatever the subjeet may be. Few educators 
would adopt the same ideal in teaeliiug little children. The 
j)rotest of many teachers against a departmental system is not 
against the sj'stem itself, but against its api)lication to children 
of prinuiry grades. The teacher occui)ies a quasi-parental 
position, and it is the unifying influence of her personality 
rather than the influence of various subjects of instruction that 
many consider should be the instrument in a child's development. 

There is, too, another argument against early specialization, 
A special teacher is concerned primarily with a pupil's progress 
in her own subject. Especially does this tend to be true when 
her only occupation is the teaching of that subject. A grade 
teacher is or .should be interested not in any one subject but in 
the child she is teaching. When so many additional subjects 
are being added, and there is no one teacher to co-ordinate and 
correlate them, the school child, like the school curriculum, will 
tend to be crowded. 

We cannot continue indefinitely to increase the amount of 
instruction without lengthening the time. No argument for a 
richer curriculum can evade the fact that each of these subjects 
when specialized, occupies a certain amount of time, and that 
the increased time is not provided for by a longer day in Los 
Angeles, though this may come. 

If, on the other hand, a grade teacher is employed, these 
subjects become not so much aims of accomplishments in them- 
selves as instruments for better instruction. There is a great 
deal of arithmetic and language in many of the so-called special 
subjects, and an intelligent grade teacher wall associate and not 
segregate their subjects, as the special teachers are apt to do. 

Finally, there is a very practical problem involved. Special 
teachers have a definite allowance of time in each school. Their 
subjects enjoy special supervision and direction. The draw- 
ing hour, the music period, the foreign language recitation; these 
are not neglected nor forgotten. There is, however, no special 
teacher for geography, history, arithmetic and spelling, pen- 
manship, composition and reading. If the program is over- 
crowded, and only those who have had no actual experience in 
elementary teaching are unaware that it is often overcrowded, 
it is unusual that the special subjects will be reduced in amount 
or time. 

Somewhere between these two sets of arguments the truth 
lies. Intelligent educators realize that the so called special 
subjects are real subjects, and that they appeal to the interest of 
the children. They realize too that specialization should not 
be delayed until the ninth year of school, and that there are 

65 



certain subjects which do demand a degree of training which 
cannot be expected, except in very exceptional cases, from grade 
teachers. 

The first thing to establish, therefore, is the necessity for 
specially trained teachers, by subjects and grades. It is re- 
commended that the supervisors set forth their own standards 
for consideration by the administrative heads. 

//. // Teaching by Special Teachers be Accepted as Necessary 
in Certain Subjects and in Certain Grades, Should Grade Teach- 
ers be Assignedona Full Departmentalor Part Departmental Sys- 
tem, or Should Special Teachers, Other Than Grade Teachers, 
be Employed? 

For reasons already given, it is desirable that regular grade 
teachers be employed for pupils in elementary grades, provided 
they be competent. There can be no question whatever that 
there are many grade teachers who would teach their subjects 
well. There are probably few who could not teach them in the 
primary and lower grammar grades. There are many persons 
now employed as extra teachers of special subjects who hold no 
certificate save the ordinary grade certificate. It would be 
absurd to say that the same person is competent when appointed 
as a special teacher of a subject, but not competent when em- 
ployed as a grade teacher to teach the same subject. 

As examples of this condition, it may be mentioned that at 
least 13 of the present staff of special teachers of music hold the 
ordinary grade certificate only, and 5 hold the ordinary grade 
certificate in drawing. 

Advanced technical training in most of these subjects is 
scarcely to be asked for in teaching pupils of the lower elemen- 
tary grades. In fact, many of the classes in all the grades are 
now taught by regular teachers, in subjects like music and 
drawing, and the committee cannot question the value and 
quality of this instruction. Naturally, if a special teacher is 
assigned to a school, and she must be employed, she will be 
placed in all the classes available to the extent of the time she 
can give. 

There is, too, an economic side, though this is not the most 
important one. The following table indicates the rate of ap- 
pointment of extra special teachers in recent years. In six 
years the number of special teachers has increased from 48 to 
262, an increase of over 445%. 

The propriety of this increase in cost must be decided on 
evidence of a corresponding increase in service to be determined 
by a division of research in the superintendent's office as recom- 
mended in this report. 

66 



Table 21: Showing Number of Teachers of Special Subjects (not 
Supervisors) Employed for Six Successive Years 



Special subjects 


1910-11 


1911-12 


1912-13 


1913-14 


1914-15 


1915-16 


Agriculture and Garden- 














ing 








2 


2 


15 


25 


Batavia work (to assist 














regular grade teachers 














in the inspection of in- 














dividuals) 





1 


4 


6 


6 


4 


Domestic science 


18 


23 


41 


54 


()8 


78 


Drawing 










9 
1 


12 
1 


24 
5 


34 


Foreign languages 


5 


Manual arts 








4 


6 


9 


8 


Music 








10 


11 


37 


49 


Sloyd (shopwork) 


30 


27 


31 


42 


51 


59 




48 


51 


102 


134 


215 


262 


Increase percent, on num- 














ber of special teachers 




6% 


100% 


31% 


60% 


22% 


each year over the pre- 




























Increase per cent, on 














number of special tea- 














chers of 1915-16 over 














1910-11 












446% 



67 



tig;' 15- 

sawder , 5J.0Y2>, MUSIC vsvyj 3>'Kf]WlHa (set Ta%Uli) 



If/a-//. l<f/HZ . MlZ-3. HI3-/4. If/'f/S . l9IS-lt . 



IS 

Jo 

Co 
ss 

so 

4S 

40 
3S 
Bo 

as 

Zo 
IS 
10 
S 



















/ 










/ 










/ 








i 


^'' 


^' 










''■'' .; 






/ 


y 


/ 




If 


•'* i 


./- 


/ 




/ 


■ yi^ 


ji 


/ 


t1 


, -e.* 


,/' 


A 


■■ ,■} 




•X 


\^-^ 

f 




/ 


# 


^ 


^' 


ii- 








% 




/' 


rA 










//. 






1/0 















68 



///. Special Instruction for Individual Pupils 

It will be noted that one provision is for "Batavia." As the 
term is used in Los Angeles it means the employment of 
special teachers to take care of individual pupils while the 
regular teacher is .in charge of the grade. 

One of the principals stated that there are two arguments in 
favor of the employment of special teachers besides the one of 
special training. Their multiplication, he stated, relieved the 
regular teachers from attendance at supervisors' conferences; 
and, in addition, they relieved class room teachers who could 
thus give individual instruction to backward children. The 
first argument is scarcely tenable. It can scarcely be termed 
beneficial to members of any profession to be "relieved" from 
attendance at discussions concerning their own profession. 
The second reason deserves careful attention. No one believes 
that children are identical. Every individual has his own 
method of interpretation, his own rate of progress. If this 
individuality is to be interpreted in corresponding terms of 
teaching, a teacher might well be demanded for every child. 
No school administration charged with the care of children 
would seriously propose such an orgainzation. Somewhere a 
limit must be defined; an educational limit as well as a financial 
one should be established. 

The City of Los Angeles now makes most liberal provision for 
the individual care of children. Its average enrollment is not 
high; it maintains special classes or schools for truants and 
delinquents; it has 84 ungraded classes, each with small en- 
rollment, to take care of children requiring special attention. 
The teachers of the first and second year in every elementary 
school of the city are at liberty one hour a day to give special 
help, and of the third year,half an hour, — a total time for special 
assignment in the public schools of Los Angeles of 477 hours per 
day of teachers' time. 

A report made to the Board of Education last January shows 
that a very considerable per cent of the total time of regular 
class teachers is not used by them for the instruction of the full 
classes, because a special teacher is present. 

No educator wall protest against a liberal assignment of 
teachers, but the ratio must be determined by careful investi- 
gation through a research bureau such as has been recommended 
by the Committee. Whether, in addition to the provisions 
already set forth, additional "Batavia" teachers ought to be 
employed, is a matter for local decision. 

It is, of course, possible to have instruction by special teachers 
without incurring the cost of additional teachers. It is done in 

69 



many cities of the country, and to a considerable extent in the 
city of Los Angeles. It is possible to do t in all grades or in 
some grades for almost every subject by the adoption of a de- 
partmental system in whole or part. 

A full departmental system assigns to one of a group of teachers, 
one or more subjects, which she teaches exclusively. There is 
no question as to the success of the method, though there is 
some question as to the grades in which it should be employed. 
There is general agreement that it can be wisely employed in the 
seventh and eighth grades when a special teacher is considered 
necessary. There is some question as to its adoption in the 
fifth or sixth grades. Opinions pro and con have been expressed 
by principals of the city schools here. 

A part departmental system permits a teacher to exchange 
with one or two others on the same subjects. Thus a third year 
teacher will instruct the pupils of a third and fourth year class in 
music, and the fourth year teacher will exchange in some sub- 
ject for a corresponding time, e. g., spelling or word study. 
This method is now frequently employed in Los Angeles. 

IV. If Special Teachers, Other Than Regular Grade Teachers 
Should be Employed, What is the Principle Regulating their 
Assignment as to Grade and Number? 

Reference has been made to the abundant provisions for the 
employment of special teachers. It must not be assumed that 
all schools have them, or even that all principals desire them, 
for that is not the case. An examination of conditions now 
obtaining shows no consistent principle of assignment. Probably 
the most consistent assignments would be made in such subjects 
as shopwork and cooking. As examples of apparently dispro- 
portionate assignment, it may be mentioned that one school 
with an enrollment of 300, and with 9 regular teachers employed 
for a total of 180 days a month, has a special teacher of music 
for 20 days, or over 11% of the regular teachers' time. Another 
school with 411 enrollment, employing 12 teachers, who are 
employed for 240 days, requires a special teacher of the same 
subject for 10 days or only 4:}/q% of the regular teachers' time. 
Two larger schools with enrollment approximating 850, one 
employing 16 and the other 17 teachers, do not employ a special 
teacher in the subject at all. There is no apparent reason for 
these discrepancies except that some principals have made the 
first demands, and the supply is limited. 

For a special teacher of drawing, one school employing 15 
regular teachers has a special teacher of drawing 20 days a month; 
another with the same number of teachers and the same enroll- 
ment within 3 pupils, has a teacher of drawing for 12 days a 

70 



month; a third, with the same number of teachers and the same 
enrollment within 12 pny)ils, has no special teacher in drawinj:; 
whatever. 

Examples could be niulliplied. There are 4 special teachers 
(not regular grade teachers) in physical training only; there is 
a special teacher for telling stories who visits at seven schools 
only. There are teachers of foreign languages in eight schools 
only, and only a part of these pui)ils take the language. 

These scattering assignments might be considered as experi- 
rrients to be tried out before embarking on a policy. There does 
not, however, appear to be any report of a study of the progress 
of these experiments. The assignment of special teachers 
should be based on a specific policy. Such a policy should be 
susceptible of definite statement on the basis of the value of the 
subject, the time desirable for assignment and the grades to 
which teachers should be assigned. The policy should not he 
such as to rob the administration of discretion in making ex- 
ceptions, whether for experiments or for other special reasons, 
but these should be matters of record. 

V. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 

(1) That a definite policy be established respecting the 

employment of teachers for instruction in special 
subjects. 

(2) That a definite policy be established concerning the 

subjects in w'hich special teaching should be employ- 
ed including limitation by grades. 

(3) That a definite policy be established concerning the 

employment of extra special teachers, determining 
the particular subjects and grades in which such 
teachers should be employed, and the conditions 
under which such employment is regulated. 

(4) That a statement be prepared showdng the cost of 

carrying out such a policy as described in 3, if 
equally applied to all the children in the schools. 

(5) That provision be made for discretion in the applica- 

tions of policies in 3, such exceptions to be made a 
matter of record. 
In conclusion, the Committee also recommends that, if any 
modifications be made in the present methods of appointing or 
assigning teachers, the changes made in organization should be 
gradual. If, for example, it were concluded to place upon re- 
gular grade teachers full responsibility for instruction in certain 
special subjects in selected grades, it would be wise to retain 
for a period a number of special teachers to instruct and guide 

71 



the regular teachers. When the progress in such instruction 
has been satisfactorily arranged, special teachers could then be 
assigned to regular grades. 



3. The Elementary Course of Study 

(a) underlying principles 

A course of study is a statement of the subjects or occupa- 
tions which are 'ncluded in the scope of instruction arranged 
according to some principle of sequence corresponding to the 
progressive development of pupils, as that may be assumed. 

In form it may be a brief outline or a detailed syllabus. In 
purpose it may be dTective, so that to the most meticu ous 
details each teacher will be required to follow it; or it may be so 
general as to be suggestive only,^ — even, to be extreme, that each 
teacher may reject, accept, modify, or add to all of it or any 
part of it. 

The purpose of the course usually reflects the attitude of the 
school administration. If either extreme must be selected, it 
is conceivably better, for the education of children, that the 
teacher should have unregulated freedom than that she should 
suffer from a rigid minute control. 

In the practical world of teaching, when the oral or written 
expression of ideals must be supplemented by the performance of 
duty, there is little room for indulgence in extreme views. A 
course of study should be definite. Those who work — and 
teachers are no exception — should have some conception of what 
they are to do. Inexperienced teachers, or unsuccessful ones, 
need help of a very definite character. 

Whatever its merits, no course of study should permit a 
teacher, without regard to differences in age, experience, training, 
or natural ability, to indulge in any chance sort of vagary of 
personal interpretation or in wholesale omission. The adop- 
tion of such a principle, without cons deration of the individuals 
to whom it applies, is a type of freedom much akin to chaos. 
"Freedom" of this kind may not preserve a chi d's individuality; 
it may sacrifice it. Every teacher, however, should be free to 
apply a test of reason when introducing the subject of instruct- 
ion. It is a fact that there are courses of study which 
contain material of almost no value unless it is explained by 
some such vague reasons as that "it trains the mind". When a 
teacher inquires into the reason of teaching, then she will in- 
terpret intelligently, not casually or capriciously. She will 
question, too, some of the useless additions that have been made 
in modern courses of study, whether they represent the passing 

n 



enthusiasm of some period of hysteria, tlie desire to imitate what 
some other community is doing, or the i)et theory of some in- 
divichial. 

A teacher who applies the test of common sense, will not 
teach outworn methods of business arithmetic that business no 
longer emi)loys, nor will she indulge in attempts at literary 
interpretation that no child can appreciate. 

But it is not only the teacher alone who should apply the test 
of reason; principals, superintendents, and citizens generally, 
might well api)ly it when examining a course of study. 

One thing must always be remembered, — a course of study 
is a help and guide to teachers, not a means of preventing the 
advancement of pupils. There are reasons why a child should 
not be promoted, but they are not to be found in the details 
of a course of study. 

The disposition in the past to use the course of study as the sole 
means of determining a child's advancement provoked a natural 
and proper reaction. • A child's progress can be more fittingly 
determined by his aptitude and abilities to continue the work 
of the future than by the rigid tests as to his competency in 
"completing the grades." 

In what sense should a course of study be definite? When is 
detail in a course of study undesirable? 

There are some subjects which must be learned. The place 
for them should be definitely fixed so that the teacher may know 
clearly her own respons bility in teaching them. No one dis- 
putes that the mastery of certain forms of knowledge is neces- 
sary. We may not think some of these forms particularly 
valuable or necessary, but society has made its demands for 
them and the schools must respond to these demands. Whether 
it be the multiplication table, the name of the capital of Germany, 
or the method of computing simple interest, these things are 
definite and precise, and not to be half learned or indefinitely 
learned, if learned at all. Whatever the method, and there 
should be abundant freedom here, no discussion of the child's 
individuality or tendency, or potential capacity, can evade the 
necessity of providing for such instruction. There are not a 
few teachers who have been so impressed by the psychology of 
interest and association, that they have neglected to provide a 
place for drill. Many fundamental things of life will not be 
learned by a drill of abstract language and number symbols; 
but there are symbols which must be mastered. It is economy 
to state in a course of study what these things are. Under such 
conditions a teacher is free to give a maximum time to the finer 
and deeper aspects of her work. Nothing could be more un- 

73 



fortunate than that a course of study should be a collection of 
set forms of knowledge, such as a list of dates, of names, of facts. 
That is why a subsidiary but definite place should be estab- 
lished for them. 

On the other hand, the cultural and manual courses should 
be really suggestive. What is needed here is not a mastery of 
formulae, but rather the development of taste or skill; here the 
course may be definite in setting forth the purposes of instruc- 
tion, in offering i lustrative examples, and in suggesting biblio- 
graphies. 

The course of study of Los Angeles has many excellent features. 
It has now been in operation for eight months, and all those of 
whom inquiry has been made have expressed a decided pre- 
ference for it over the old course of five years before. 

Such criticisms as may be offered will be given in discussing 
the various subjects. Of the course generally, it may be stated 
that some of the introductions to the subject are excellent; 
that the suggestions for method are good, though often lacking 
in helpful illustrations; and that lists of reference books are 
unusually complete. The course does not err by over-insistence 
on detail. 

(b) ARITHMETIC 

The lower grades adopt the Grube method, one that for a 
time had an extensive vogue in the United States. The original 
arrangement for studying each number in sequence "intensively" 
has now been generally abandoned. A more modern arrange- 
ment would be suggested if the course of study in twenty of the 
largest American cities were compared and consulted. 

The upper grades from A-3 on concentrate attention on a 
single arithmetical topic. This treatment is superior to the 
spiral method, which attempts to repeat the various arithmetical 
topics through each grade, and which, in seeking to control 
many things, masters none. Nevertheless, review is necessary, 
and directions of such general character as "Thorough and con- 
stant review of previous work" are too general. It is possible 
to continue the method of concentration, and also to provide 
for review by suggestion much more definite than mere general 
direction. 

It is assumed that the references to text book pages give a 
more concise suggestion than such spacious titles as "Addition, 
subtraction, multiplication, and division of decimals." In the 
subject of arithmetic, limitation to text book pages is too narrow; 
dependence on general topics too indefinite. Pupils must do 
more than follow selected lists of pages. On the other hand, 

74 



some statement indicating the scope of such operations as deci- 
mals or fractions shoukl be made: an ambitious teacher may try 
to exhaust the subject and introduce topics that wouhl i)uzzle 
high school children. Definite suggestion need not forbid a 
teacher to exercise discretion intelligently. 

The course is to be commended for its omission of such ancient, 
useless, or inappropriate material as true discount, equation of 
payments, involved cases of mensuration, etc. 



(c) 



GEOGRAPHY 



The distribution of topics by grades, and by number of weeks 
for each topic in the Los Angeles course, is presented in the 
following statement: 





BA 


A-4 


B-5 


A-5 


5-6 


^-6 


B-7 


A-7 


B-S 


^-8 


Total 


The globe and the 

zones 

Food and clothing 

California 

United States. . . .1 

Canada J 

Mexico 1 

Central America. . \ 
South America. . . J 

Europe 1 

Australia J 

Asia ] 

Africa / 

Physical and as- 
tronomical geo- 
graphy 


20 


io 

10 


20 


20 


20 


20 


20 


20 


20 


20 


20 wk 
10 " 
30 " 

40 " 
40 " 

20 " 

20 " 

20 " 



Canada is included in the 20 — week B — 7 grade with Mexico and Central and South 
Amarira, and in the A — 7 grade with the United States- 

An examination of the table indicates that the work of each 
grade centers arovmd a continent or nation. When preceded by 
a general discussion of the earth, and by a more detailed study of 
the learner's own locality, as is done in the Los Angeles course, 
the method is a sound one. 

An elementary pupil before graduation should make some 
study of the great commercial and industrial countries and the 
trade routes, with the United States as a center. An elementary 
understanding of these is necessary, if the pupil is to know his 
own country, and the interdependence between it and the other 

75 



nations of the world. Such a course, which should include a 
study of the exports and imports across the two oceans and with 
the countries to the south, though it involves a review, is a new 
treatment with one center of interest. It might well displace 
the isolated study of elementary facts of physiography, meteor- 
ology, astronomy, which now constitute the course for the B-8 
grade. Certainly if the pupil is not already familiar with so 
much of thi^ information as is applicable to his geographical 
studies in the preceding grades, he can scarcely appreciate what 
has been taught him before the eighth year. If he does under- 
stand them sufficiently, a separate treatment of these somewhat 
abstract subjects might well give place to a study that is more 
interesting, more significant, and far more useful. 

The time schedule of the course shows that Mexico, Central 
America, and South America receive as much attention as the 
United States, and that Europe receives less than half the time. 
The proximity of Mexico, and the future promise of extended 
trade with the southern republics, will warrant more time in the 
study of their geography than has heretofore been given in 
American schools. Nevertheless, for a long time to come the 
large interests of our country, social and commercial, will be 
with the countries of Europe. More time should be permitted 
to a study of Europe. 

The course states that in Geography "the same fundamental 
facts should be taught in the same grades throughout the city at 
the same time, so that a transferred pupil may not feel that he 
has no point of contact with the school to which he is transferred". 
Presumably, "at the time" means "in the same grade". If 
this statement is to be used as a guide, there is nothing in the 
course to indicate either what these fundamental facts are or 
where they should be studied. Certainly it is not to be sup- 
posed that a B-5 and A-8 pupil would approach the study of 
their respective topics in the same way. 

The course has many excellent suggestions for method. These 
would have been more useful had some illustrative examples 
been included. Geography cannot be well taught unless with a 
background of technical knowledge not usually possessed by the 
normal graduate. Abundant suggestion and many illustrative 
examples should always be included in preparing a course of 
study on this subject. It is also suggested, so far as it may be 
appropriate to the grade, that reference to current events, with 
significant geographical reference, be included in the course in 
geography as well as in history. 



1(i 



(d) HISTORY 

The modern school course in history is no longer a compilation 
of facts, arranged in severe chronological order, with an emphasis 
on purely military achievements. The Los Angeles course is 
thoroughly modern in arrangement and treatment. 

The first four years are divided into three cai)tions, — history 
topics; social life; holidays, and national heroes. The history 
topics begin with the stories of primitive man, of the ancient 
and medieval world; and, in the latter half of the fifth year, of 
early California and of Los i.\ngeles. The social life begins with 
conversations covering the home circle, and provisions for food, 
clothing and shelter, and includes discussions of municipal 
business and activities, an understanding of the activities and 
values of the departments of police, health, street cleaning, 
parks, schools and public works, as well as a study of large build- 
ings, and the methods of transportation. "Holidays and na- 
tional heroes" represents a selection of anniversaries and of 
stories of eminent men, selected because the incidents or events 
are interesting, vivid and inspiring. Chronology plays no 
necessary part. 

The study of civic activities provided for the second year, — ■ 
police, fire, and street protection, — should be repeated and 
emphasized. In New York the pupils of the fourth year took 
up these subjects after the teachers had been supplied wdth 
special information furnished in collaboration with the depart- 
ments in charge of these activities. Within a year after the 
number of fires in that city was considerably reduced. Ap- 
parently the decrease was the partial result of instructions given 
the children, who averaged from 9 to 12 years of age. 

The fifth and sixth years of the Los Angeles schools are divided 
into two courses, — history topics and social life in the fifth year, 
and great names and nations and industrial life in the sixth. 
History is a subject which should permit a very w'ide discretion, 
especially for pupils of the primary and lower grammar grades. 
The material offered in the fifth and sixth year is abundant, yet 
sufficiently definite as to be really suggestive. 

As full freedom is permitted the teacher in the selection of 
topics, the course, notwithstanding its length, is not excessive. 

The A-6 course as written may prove misleading. The head- 
ings of the 9 topics include some which might well test the 
knowledge of a graduate student in a University. Some of 
these topics, if instruction is really attempted, will result in 
little more than oral repetit'on. Such are: the love of liberty 
"inherent in the Anglo Saxon race," or a study of religious 
movements (Catholicism and the Reformation), or the work of 
Justinian in the development of law. 



A wise teacher, who knows history well and children better 
can make judicious use of this material; it is also susceptible of 
misuse and misunderstanding. The supervisory staff should 
check the work actually being done. 

The seventh and eighth years follow the chronological order, 
but not as a string of events connected by dates. The arrange- 
ment in these years is an excellent example of definite guidance 
without vexat ous prescription. As much cannot be sad for the 
civics as the course is heavy. Thus, in the A-7 the subject as 
given is ' The Constitution of the United States." This needs 
elaboration. 

A careful examination of this course shows an appreciation 
of the later conceptions of the subject and the method of teach- 
ing it in elementary schools. When necessary, the course should 
be so worded that attempts will not be made to require im- 
mature children to enter into experiences and conceptions that 
only older and more instructed persons can appreciate. 

(e) LANGUAGE 

The course in language, reading and phonetics, in the opinion 
of the committee, is a good one. The provisions for definite 
statement where definitions are necessary, as in grammar, and 
for wide direction and general suggestion where these are desir- 
able, shows a sense of appropriateness and balance in preparing 
a course of study. 

No course of study in English will receive unanimous agree- 
ment in its details. In learning to read, for example, there are 
many who recommend some one definite reading system, whether 
purely phonetic or not, for children of the first two years. Even 
the best courses of study are not considered by many sufficiently 
helpful unless the text employed is based on a method organized 
even to details. Some Los Angeles principals use such methods. 
Whether they are necessary or not, must ultimately be deter- 
mined by a comparison of conditions in schools that use them 
and schools that do not, — i. e., schools that depend only on the 
teacher's interpretation of the course of study, aided by primers 
or reading books that represent no particular system of organi- 
zation. Such comparisons could be made by a bureau of re- 
search. 

As a whole, the fundamental requirements of English instruc- 
tion are provided for. Thought is to precede form. Oral ex- 
pression is to be an instrument as effective as written language. 
Literature is recognized in the content, whether in the form of 
stories to be heard, pieces to be memorized, or selections to be 
read and discussed. But literature is not to be the exclusive 

7% 



material of instruction. Children must learn to read for in- 
formation — "to get the thought." American courses of study 
in English generally are less narrowly conceived than formerly; 
the Los Angeles course in English is an example of the modern 
tendency. 

In respect to the eliminations there will be obviously dif- 
ferences of oi)inion. For example, the exclusion of the relative 
pronoun from the course in grammar might be challenged. 

Again the treatment of spelling (and the Los Angeles course 
on this subject is better than many), should not be dependent 
on selection of words from a speller. The course of study very 
truly states that there is need to know only the spelling of such 
words as the children are capable of employing intelligently in 
a context. Yet progress in spelling need not be the uncertain 
thing it now is in elementary schools. Such lists as those of 
Ayers and Jones contain words that when properly graded are 
already understood by almost every pupil. Such words might 
we'.l make up a spelling list. A course of study so excellent in 
many respects should provide for a definite type of achievement 
in a subject where definiteness and precision are essential. 



(f) PENMANSHIP 

If it be assumed that the method used in the schools (the 
Zaner method) is satisfactory in operation; the course of study 
contains all that is required, as a separate manual of direct'ons 
is furnshed with it. Incidentally it may be stated that the 
success of methods of this kind depend largely, not merely on the 
teacher's knowledge and study, but on her own actual skill. No 
reference is made in the course to either of the standard scores 
for measuring the results of handwriting (Ayres-Thorndike) . 



(g) FOREIGN LANGUAGES 

There are 5 teachers of foreign languages employed in 8 ele- 
mentary schools. Presumably, this is an experiment, and its 
operation should be carefully observed. Even in the 8 schools 
where it is taught, not all the pupils of a grade take it, nor is 
the language taught necessarily determined by the wishes of 
pupils or parents when it is once assigned. 

It would be well if a report were prepared on this experiment, 
noting the results of instruction, with the plans for future ex- 
tension and the probable cost of such extension. If the 
experiment has been in existence long enough to render an in- 
telligent judgment, this is a proper time to make such a report. 

79 



The other subjects in the course of study are Music, Drawing, 
Home Economics, Manual Arts and Manual Work, Nature 
Study and Agriculture. Not "subjects" in the same sense are 
Physical Training and Ethics, although these are included. 

There are no definite standards for courses in these special 
subjects. All of them (with the possible exception of the techni- 
cal aspects of music), should permit of discretion in choice of 
subject; all of them are guided by supervisors especially qualified 
to suggest class and shop procedure and to confer with the teach- 
ing staff. At the present time there is in addition an imposing 
staff of special teachers. 

The committee believes that all of these special subjects 
should be included in any provision for elementary instruction, 
and for the following reasons: 

(h) MUSIC 

It is almost a mistake to call this a special subject, as it has 
become an integral part of a course of study in all cities. It 
seems unnecessary to discuss the place of music in any scheme 
of education that contemplates anything more than a purely 
utilitarian program of instruction. 

(i) DRAWING 

The aim of a course in drawing is not, as has been mistakenly 
stated, "to make artists" although instruction in drawing does 
reveal potential artistic ability. Drawing is a form of expres- 
sion, as is writing; it is a means of interpreting life in terms of 
form, color and rhythm, and of expression through these forms. 
No one need be an artist to appreciate what is beautiful in the 
graphic or the plastic arts, but the expression gained through 
drawing develops such an appreciation. Furthermore, drawing 
is a distinct type of manual training just as is penmanship, paper 
cutting or carpentry. To exclude drawing from instruction 
would be to deny to children one of the most obvious methods 
of exercising their powers of selection and invention. 

(j) MANUAL ARTS AND MANUAL WORK 

Occupations like those of the shop are modes of expression of 
a child's life. Subjects like arithmetic, or written composition, 
or formal spelling represent adult experience, developed through 
centuries of trial; they are placed in the elementary school as 
matters of necessity. Instruction in them involves vexatious 
problems of arrangement and method. Working with the hands, 
whether in drawing, sewing or sloyd, is a natural expression of a 
child's interest. It may be, and probably is, true that these oc- 
cupations are too often isolated parts of the pupil's school ex- 

80 



ertions, rather than modes of his own natural desire for activity. 
When the fault exists, it is a fault of method, not of the subject. 
There can be no doubt that manual occupations should form 
part of a child's school experiences if he is to understand his own 
world and adjust himself to it, not only as a wage earner, but as an 
intelligent partaker in its civic and social life. 



(k) HOME ECONOMIC ARTS 

If the value of a school course is determined in part by its 
usefulness, then girls need training in the home economic arts 
more than they need much of the arithmetic which is taught 
them. Whatever the vocational future of girls may be in the 
fields of business or of the professions, there is one profession — 
perhaps the finest, — which it may confidently be affirmed practi- 
cally all will enter, — the keeping of a home. It is possible to 
make an elementary course of study which has too little in it 
of home accounts, cooking, dressmaking and home hygiene; 
too much of an attempt to teach chemistry, costume design and 
mural decoration. A course in Home Economics should be a 
part of the course of study. Whether cooking need be begun 
in the Gth year or even earlier, is a matter concerning which there 
is no data for judgment. It is a matter of opinion. 



(1) NATURE STUDY 

This subject provides for an acquaintance with the plant and 
animal world, not as abstractions of a text book of zoology or 
botany, but in terms of experience. 

The Los Angeles course is prepared and supervised by a small 
staff. The lack of data renders it impossible to make any state- 
ment as to the value of the work in classrooms. That must 
depend upon the co-operation of principals and the interest and 
enthusiasm of teachers. 

The leaflets which are distributed should prove of value to 
teachers. As the contents of the leaflets are intended for all 
grades, their adaption for pupils of varying ages must depend 
upon the class teacher's efforts, supplemented by the direction 
of the supervisor and his assistant. 

If voluntary associations of teachers especially interested or 
desiring to be interested in nature study could be formed, the 
service of the supervisors and the facilities offered by the city 
in its parks could doubtless be available for them. An activity 
of this kind would be exceedingly helpful and would re-act 
favorably on class instruction. 

81 



(m) AGRICULTURK 

The purpose, as stated in the course, is "to help boys and 
girls toward more wholesome and happy lives, to reduce the 
cost of living and to lay the foundation for more advanced work 
in the high school or the university. The school garden should 
be considered a laboratory only, and the work in it should func- 
tion in home gardens." 

The Committee is in entire sympathy with the principles set 
forth, except that it is not prepared to recommend that the 
elementary course shall be determined by consideration of pre- 
paration for secondary instruction. It would be desirable if the 
garden activities could be more closely related to instruction in 
forriial subjects than at present, at least in some of the schools 
visited. 

(n) ETHICS 

Training in character is the most important aim of education. 
Whether morals may be "taught" by instruction is an old and 
fruitless theme. A child's character is developed through the 
exercise of his instincts, especially those of imitation, love and 
respect. To the degree that the pupil meets the finest per- 
sonalities, has the best training in correct habits, becomes actuat- 
ed by the noblest motives and learns to conceive the highest 
ideals, will these instincts best tend to express themselves as his 
character develops. The influence of the schools, therefore, 
will function in many and more important ways than through 
instruction. Nevertheless there is a place for moral instruction, 
if it be not purely didactic. A course of study which would in- 
clude a long list of virtues and duties might easily degenerate 
into a dry formalism. A critic would claim that the isolation of 
one specific set of virtues, grade by grade, would scarcely make 
for a vital training in the development of good men and women. 

But this is to affirm that the teacher would not apply any in- 
telligence in her work. It has not been possible to say how suc- 
cessfully the present course in ethics has actually been applied. 
The extensive bibliography attached, if consulted and followed, 
will be found to give abundant direction, through principle, 
method, and device. It should make instruction in ethics a 
valuable adjunct to the more important agencies, whether they 
function through the influence of individuals or of communities. 

The committee Avishes to refer to the attitude displayed by 
principals and teachers towards the children in the school, in 
all cases where visits were made. It exemplified certain excel- 
lent qualities. Without exception this attitude was courteous, 
cordial and gracious; it was fully reciprocated by the pupils. 
It is true that the dominant types of pupils who attend the 

82 



schools ill Los Angeles have better parental guidance aiul better 
homos than are found in many other large cities; it is also true 
that special tyj)cs are segregated in classes or buildings set aj)art 
for them. All these facts have facilitated these fortunate re- 
lations and this happy influence. Nevertheless, the merit for 
their existence must be attributed to the administrators, prin- 
cipals and teachers directly. It is an altogether happy condition 
and indicates that there is ethical instruction in the schoo's 
whether it be conscious or not. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Inasmuch as this course of study has been recently established 
the Committee recommends: 

1 : That the teachers be requested to make note of its 
operation and to be prepared to make suggestions as 
to its improvement. 
2: That in case a bureau of research is established it shall 
render expert assistance in making such modifica- 
tions as may be desired. 

4. Extra Subjects or Activities Not Included in the 
Section on the Course of Study 
(a) department of physical education 

This department employs one supervisor and six assistants, 
one of whom is now on leave of absence and one of whom has 
recently resigned. It plans and organizes the physical activities 
of the elementary schools, including the gymnastic exercises, 
plays, games, tournaments and festivals. It also employs four 
special teachers. 

The work is well organized, and the number of supervisors 
employed not excessive. Each assistant supervises the work of 
from 195 to 251 classrooms, and supervises from five to fifteen 
playgrounds. The distribution of time indicates the scope of 
activity. 

Table 2'2: Showing Assignment and Work of Assistant Supervisors 
OF Physical Training in the Month 



District 


School 
visited 


Playgrounds 
supervised 


Rooms 

visited 


Children in 
district 


1 


25 


5 


194 


6000 


2 


30 


11 


210 


7000 


3 


227 


6 


241 


9000 


4 


19 


11 


259 


94000 


5 


26 


15 


304 


11208 



83 



The apparent inequality in work is partially explained by 
the variations in distance which each assistant supervisor must 
travel, and the amount of special work required which cannot be 
assigned equally to al . 

Under the supervision of this department there are now main- 
ta ned 62 p ay grounds for children. 

The supervisor's estimate of needs are based on a distribution 
of 17 days per month of service in the schools, and 3 days of 
necessary conferences, special visits and office work. This as- 
signment would require 8 to 9 assistants. 

This, however, is predicated on the supposition that all teach- 
ers in every class in the Los Angeles schools need an equal amount 
of special assistance, guidance, or inspection. Probably no 
such necessity exists. There are doubtless many classes where 
the classroom work in physical education is exceedingly well 
done, and where really little supervision is necessary. Super- 
vision must become selective. The Committee is unable to 
make any recommendation with the data at hand. 

(b) AFTERNOON PLAYGROUNDS 

If children have no opportunity of meeting together for play 
in groups, either because opportunities are lacking or because 
their own safety is endangered, it is an excellent thing for the 
Board of Education to provide facilities in the playground. The 
importance of play in education is by no means confined to the 
kindergarten. 

Your Committee is of the opinion that afternoon playgrounds 
should be continued excep,t in cases where there are sufficient 
facilities for play in the immediate neighborhood. 

(c) HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT 

The Health and Development Department employs a supervis- 
ing physician, eleven physicians and seven nurses. One of the 
physicians is present at stated hours in the Olive street office to 
diagnose organic conditions and to conduct psychological tests. 
In addition to this staff there is the Parent-Teacher's Clinic, now 
supported l)y the Board of Education, which employs three 
dentists and two clerical assistants. There is also some volun- 
tary service by physicians at the clinic. 

The eleven physicians and seven nurses engaged in field work 
aim to examine each school child once a year, although they 
have not succeeded in doing so in practice. The result of each 
examination is entered on a card, and these cards are filed in the 
principal's office, i arents are notified of the results where 

84 



such action seems necessary. When parents pay no attention 
to communications, and it seems advisable to follow up a case, 
they arc visited by the nurses. The work of the nurses employed 
by the Hoard of Education should not be confused with that of 
representatives of the City Board of Health. The latter ex- 
amine for contagous diseases. This duplication of effort must of 
necessity involve some waste. 

In a special report prepared by the supervisor for the com- 
mittee, it appears, that of the total number of children enrolled 
each year for the last three years, 50% have been examined 
each year. As the enrollment has increased annually and the 
force has remained the same, it is impossible to maintain even 
a 50% rate of examinations if the present methods are continued. 

The great increase in territory and in the enrollment has yet 
further multiplied the difficulties of the staff. P'or these reasons 
the supervisor recommends an increase of his present staff. 
Other recommendations concerning open-air classes and classes 
for defectives, imbeciles, epileptics, etc., which had already been 
recommended by this committee, are also made by the super- 
visor. 

If the present methods are to be continued the committee 
cannot question that, if the medical staff were insufficient in 
number to do the work of the department in 1913, the need for 
an increase is greater now than then. 

A teacher can render valuable help in the health and develop- 
ment work. She should not be permitted to make a diagnosis, 
but she is perfectly competent to answer direct questions con- 
cerning certain obvious conditions of pupils when the questions 
have been prepared by a physician. Such a method does not 
constitute a medical examination. It may, on the other hand, 
be so used as to greatly reduce the number of examinations 
which experts would otherwise be compelled to make. It 
allows the medical expert to give more time and more careful 
attention to pathological cases which need very careful exami- 
nation. The problem of school hygiene will never be solved if it 
requires that physicians must make an original examination of 
every pupil every year. The cost in a large city would be pro- 
hibitive. Aside from that, it would not provide for work which 
is really important,— -not examinations merely but interviews with 
parents in which the physician should share. 

The health and development of children is a special phase of 
medical practice. Its organization requires not medical knowl- 
edge only, but familiarity with all existing methods of school 
hygiene in American cities. 

Whoever is employed on it should give executive ability, full 
time and complete attention. The committee recommends that 

85 



at least the majority of the physicians attached to this depart- 
ment give their entire time and effort to what is probably one of 
the most important of social as well as economic problems. 

(d) LIBRARY DEPARTMENT 

The committee has been unable to make any study of the 
Library Department. Principals of schools have invariably 
stated that this department has been of great value in furnishing 
elementary schools with a variety of reading books to supple- 
ment the books furnished by the state, and that the service has 
been prompt and satisfactor3\ 

(e) ORCHESTRA DEPARTMENT 

The committee with its limited opportunities for observation, 
approves the results obtained by the establishment of orchestras. 
With but two exceptions, each school visited had its own little 
orchestra. In every place visited the pupils showed consider- 
able pride in its existence. 

(f) RECOMMENDATIONS 

The Committee recommends: 

1 : That a study be made indicating in what centers play- 
grounds should be discontinued or extended. 

2: That the majority of the physicians employed in the 
Health and Development Department give full time 
to the work of child hygiene. 

3; That a study be made to determine the proportionate 
number of nurses and physicians to be employed, in 
order to discover the most effective method to care 
for the health and development of pupils. 

5. The Proficiency of Pupils in the Los Angeles 
Elementary Schools 

With the enormous increase in the cost of public education 
in the last decade, cities throughout the country have been 
forced to recognize the criticism in regard to the actual efficiency 
of instruction, of the ability of children to read, to write, to 
cipher and to spell. 

The special subjects, music, art, nature study, school gardens, 
dramatics, playgrounds, etc., have taken much of the time of the 
principals and advisory staff. In many cases the principals and 
supervisors have been elected on the basis of their ability to do 
these things. It is a well known fact in educational adminis- 

86 



tration that the members of the teachin<>; corps respond to the 
things tliat attract attention at a particuhir time. Consecpiently 
some of the hirger cities ha\e fonnd that, with the empliasis on 
the new things, there has been a disposition to neglect the fuiuhi- 
menlals. 

A division of research, or a gronp of specially qnalified persons, 
should undertake to discover what is the progress of pupils in 
these fundamental subjects. It cannot be done in a brief time, 
for a study of this kind requires a careful investigation. 

It is, however, a mistake to assume that it is an impossible 
thing to do. It has been done quite recently for the city of 
Cleveland. The school officers, the Board of Education, and the 
public generally, should know whether the pupils are proficient 
or not. A feeling exists in many communities that the addition 
of so many special vocations has tended to obscure the importance 
of former subjects. 

Of the two methods of making a study of school instruction, 
i. e., by a group of persons selected for that purpose for a brief 
time, or by a division or bureau in the office of superintendent, 
the first method has the advantage of speed. Within a few 
months it w'ould be jjossible to state definitely the proficiency of 
pupils, the great object for which the schools of a city are estab- 
lished. Yet such information is of little value unless construc- 
tive efforts are made to modify or improve conditions that such 
a study would indicate. 

A bureau or special division works more slowly but more 
persistently. Its services are available not only for the purpose 
of a general study but for the intensive examination of single 
aspects of administration. It discharges no executive functions 
and, therefore, does not duplicate the activity of the executive 
officers. Moreover, because of its continuance its work is 
cumulative. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

The Committee recommends: 

1: That a survey be made, similar though not necessarily 
identical with the survey recently completed in 
Cleveland, to determine the proficiency of pupils of 
the Los Angeles public schools in the so-called es- 
sentials. 
Nothing in this recommendation should be interpreted to 
mean that the pupils of the Los Angeles schools are not as well 
advanced in arithmetic, penmanship, reading and spelling, as are 
pupils anywhere else. Neither the members of this (committee, 
nor, so far as any information or records are available, — is any 
other person competent to state what the conditions are. At 
present it is a matter of opinion only. 

87 



V 
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 

1. Inclusiveness of the Term as Used in Los Angeles 

There has been some confusion in the discussion of the inter- 
mediate schools in Los Angeles, due to the fact that they are 
not alike. For example, Boyle Heights consists of 8th, 9th and 
10th grades only; the Lincoln school consists of 7th, 8th, 9th, 
10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Thus it may be seen that the 
Boyle Heights school represents a three-year unit of instruction, 
whereas the Lincoln school represents a six-year unit of instruction. 
As a matter of fact, in the Lincoln school and others which are 
similar to it, the organization shows in effect the old-fashioned 
division between the two-year grammar school and the four- 
year high school. There are thousands of schools like this 
throughout the country. Practically all village schools are 
operated on this basis. Gardena, San Pedro, Wilmington and 
one or two others of the smaller schools in Los Angeles are simil- 
arly organized. 

The three-year intermediate schools, — Custer Avenue, Virgil 
Avenue, Berendo Street, Sentous, Thirtieth Street, McKinley 
Avenue and Boyle Heights, enroll more than six thousand 
students and are in charge of 280 teachers. 

In addition to these schools, there are more than one hundred 
additional classes in the 7th or 8th grades distributed throughout 
the city that are neither in the intermediate schools nor in the 
six-year high school. 

The fact that 7th and 8th grade children are being taught in 
three types of schools presents many complications from the 
standpoint of organization and co-ordination between the high 
school and the elementary school. 

2. Growth in Intermediate Schools 

A study of the increase in the number of the intermediate 
schools and their enrollment from 1910-11 to the present time 
shows one intermediate school only reported in 1910 — Custer 
Avenue. In 1911-12, six reported; in 1912-13, ten; in 1913-14, 
eleven; in 1914-15, eleven; in 1916, twelve. It should be noted, 
however, that Lincoln, Gardena Agricultural and San Pedro 
are ordinary high schools, with combination of elementary years 
seven and eight. 

The registration in these schools has increased from less than 
one hundred in 1910-11 to more than seven thousand in 1916, 
including students as noted above. 



There has been considerable fluctuation in the actual registra- 
tion in these schools owing to the fact that changes have been 
made in the districting of the schools — for example, Custer 
Avenue, which started out with ninety-five, a year later enrolled 
five hundred and twentv. This enrollment has gone as high as 
656 in 1914-15, but in 1916 it dropped back to 582. This fluctua- 
tion is not a measure of growth so much as it is a measure of 
administrative adjustment. 

Table 23: Showing Detailed Analysis of Growth in Intermediate 
School Enrollment, Year 1910-11 to 1916 





Year 


7th Grade 


8ih Grade 


9th Grade 


Total 
enroll- 
ment 


Intermediate School 


No. 


% 


No. 


% 


No. 


% 


Custer Avenue 


1910-11 


42 


44 


53 


56 






95 


Berendo Street 

Custer Avenue 

Fourteenth Street . . . 
Gardena Agrieultur'l . 

Thirtieth Street 

Twenty-first Avenue . 


1911-12 


233 

227 
255 
50 
383 
260 


41 
44 
41 
47 
47 
47 

38 
52 
58 
52 
48 
61 
52 
43 
24 
45 


231 
201 

288 

56 

332 

187 


41 
38 
47 
53 
41 
34 


103 

92 

76 

See 

96 

104 


18 
18 
12 
U.S. 
12 
19 


567 
520 
619 
106 
811 
551 


Berendo Street 

Custer Avenue 

Fourtieth Street. . . . 
Gardena Agricultural 
McKinley Avenue. . . 
San Pedro 


1912-13 


243 
305 
459 

53 
307 

95 
312 
444 
169 
205 


238 
225 
192 

48 
235 

61 
231 
382 
301 
190 


37 

38 
24 
48 
37 
39 
38 
37 
44 
42 


166 

60 
137 
See 

99 
See 

60 
207 
220 

62 


25 
10 
18 

H.S. 
15 

H.S. 
10 
20 
32 
13 


647 
590 
788 
101 
641 
1.56 


Sentous Street 

Thirteenth Street. . . . 
Twenty-first Avenue . 
Virgil Avenue 


603 

1033 

690 

457 


Berendo Street 

Boyle Heights. ...... 

Custer Avenue 

Fourteenth Street . . . 
Gardena Agricultural 

Lincoln 

McKinley Avenue. . 

San Pedro 

Sentous Street 

Thirtieth Street 

Virgil Avenue 


1913-14 


241 

17 

292 

456 

67 

135 

408 

85 

381 

439 

253 


37 
46 
46 
55 
53 
26 
53 
50 
53 
44 
43 


224 

14 

240 

256 

60 

385 

260 

86 

240 

369 

205 


35 
38 
37 
31 
47 
74 
34 
50 
33 
36 
34 


170 
6 
111 
121 
See 
See 
102 
See 
102 
198 
135 


28 
16 
17 
14 

H.S. 

H.S. 
13 

H.S. 
14 
20 
23 


635 
37 
643 
833 
127 
520 
770 
171 
723 
1006 
593 



89 



Table 23; continued 



Intermediate .school 






1th Grade 


Sth Grade 


9th Grade 


Total 
enroll- 
ment 


Year 


No. 


% 


No. 


% 


No. 


% 


Berendo Street 

Boyle Heights 

Custer Avenue 

Fourteenth Street . . 
Gardena Agricultural 

Lincoln 

McKinley Avenue. . 

San Pedro 

Sentous Street 

Thirtieth Street .... 
Virgil Avenue 


191^ 


1-15 


272 
413 

285 
353 

60 
308 
433 

97 
320 
444 
278 


42 
39 
43 
45 
51 
55 
50 
61 
43 
44 
43 


218 
409 
242 
270 

58 
256 
290 

61 
277 
351 
224 


34 
39 
37 
34 
49 
45f 
33 
39 
37 
35 
35 


157 
230 
129 

168 

See 

5ee 
147 

See 
143 
206 
137 


24 
•22 
20 
21 

H.S. 

H.S. 
17 

H.S. 
20 
21 
22 


647 

1052 

65(i 

791 

lis 

564 
870 
158 
730 
1001 
639 



90 



Statkmext Showin'c Attkxdwck of Los An"(;eles Intek.mkdiath 
Schools Month of February, 1916 



School 



('u-ster Avfiuic 

Virgil 

Berendo 

Sentous Street . 
30th Street . . . 
McKinley . . . . 
14th Street . . . 
Boyle Heights. 
San Pedro. . . . 

Gardena 

Van Nuys .... 
Lincoln 



7fh ( 


hade 


8th ( 


rude 


mh Grade 


No. 


/o 


No. 


% 


No. 


% 


225 
139 
234 
279 
365 
488 
383 
419 
119 
51 
18 
259 


39 
27 
38 
38 
40 
49 
52 
35 
41 
27 
31 
38 


220 

204 

221 

281 

358 

336 

202 

413 

82 

65 

23 

232 


37 
39 
36 
39 
39 
34 
28 
35 
29 
34 
39 
34 


137 

179 

160 

166 

191 

172 

150 

363 

83 

75 

17 

190 


24 
34 
26 
23 
21 
17 
20 
30 
30 
39 
30 
28 



Grand 
Total 

582 
522 
615 
726 
914 
996 
735 
1195 
284 
191 
58 
681 



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91 



3. Holding Power of the Intermediate Schools 

The intermediate school this year has enrolled a relatively 
high percentage of students in the 8th grade as compared with 
the 7th grade. For instance, out of the grand total of 4667 
intermediate grade students enrolled in the 7th and 8th grades, 
52 per cent are in the 7th grade and 48 per cent in the 8th grade. 

In the non-intermediate schools, out of 4123 children enrolled 
in the 7th and 8th grades, 55 per cent are enrolled in the 7th 
grade, and 45 per cent in the 8th grade. These latter figures 
are identical with the figures of the United States as a whole. 

It is of importance to note that the intermediate school has 
been somewhat more successful in holding 8th grade students 
than has the non-intermediate school. 



4. Electives in the Intermediate Schools 

Los Angeles has definitely followed a policy of providing op- 
portunities for wide election on the part of the students in the 
public schools. This election is extended not only to the 
junior colleges and high schools, but under the provisions of the 
intermediate school, certain elections are extended to the children 
in the 7th grade. 

While it is true that for the purpose of experimentation, the 
intermediate school has permitted children to elect different 
courses, such as engineering preparatory, mechanical arts, home 
economics, literary, scientific and general elective, yet in actual 
practice, about one-half of the children have elected the literary 
scientific course. One fourth of the children have taken the 
general elective or the commercial course. 

The selection of such courses does not mean that pupils are 
taking the advanced subjects which the names of such courses 
might imply. The subjects taken by the pupils may be those of 
elementary or lower secondary years, graded so that they will 
prepare the pupils for advanced studies which such courses 
will ultimately require. Such courses, therefore, can be estab- 
lished at little if any additional cost. 

The distinctive feature which involves increased cost is the 
fact that the students in the seventh grade are permitted to begin 
the study of any one of four foreign languages, as well as sten- 
ography. In the eighth grade, students are permitted to elect 
algebra, and to continue their work in the foreign language or 
stenography. 

In the ninth grade electives, are so far as intermediate schools 
are concerned, practically identical with the elective in the 
larger schools throughout the country. The only difference is 

92 



tliat the student who has commenced his foriegn hmguage, 
mathematics or commercial work can do more advanced work 
in the ninth grade. 

It is argued that the pupil who spends three years in the inter- 
mediate school and. three years in the high school can, as a con- 
sequence, be much farther along at the end of his twelve years 
of school in foreign language, mathematics and commercial work 
than he would be in case his work were postponed until the open- 
ing of the regular high school period. The figures in table 25 
indicate that the students do progress more advantageously in 
high school. 

A relatively small per cent of the students take Latin, German 
or French in the intermediate schools. The largest registration 
in foreign language classes is in Spanish. Most of the children 
in the seventh grade take the ordinary course. Most of the 
children take algebra in the eighth grade and some foreign lan- 
guage. The ninth grade election is not strikingly different from 
the ordianry first 'year high school. 

5. How Students Elect Courses 

It is of interest to learn how the students of the intermediate 
schools have reacted toward the six different courses offered in 
their curriculum. The table below shows this very clearly. 

In the Berendo Intermediate school 375, or 61 per cent of 
the students selected the literary and scientific course; 119, or 
19 per cent selected the general elective course; 79 or 12 per cent, 
selected the commercial course; 12, or 1.9 per cent selected the 
mechanics arts course; 10 or 1.6 per cent the home economics; 
17, or 2.7 per cent, the engineering preparatory course. 



93 



Tablk "H: Showi.vg; PEKCE.vr.vuE ok Pupils i.v Evch of Six Couuses iv 
THE Intermediate Schools of Los Angeles, February 1, 1916 



Name of 
School 


- 


Lifer' y 
Scien- 
tific 


Gen. 

Elec- 
tire 


Com. 
mcr- 
cial 


Mech. 
Artfi 


Home 
Econ. 


Eng. 
Prep. 


Total 

pupils 

enrld. 


Berendo 


No . of Pupils 


375 


119 


79 


12 


10 


17 


612 




per cent 


61 


19 


12 


1.9 


1.6 


2.7 


100 


Boyle 

Heights 


No. of Pupils 


449 


231 


188 


21 


139 


55 


1083 


per cent 


40 


21 


17 


1.9 


12 


5 


100 


Custer 
Avenue 


No. of Pupils 


283 


83 


180 


8 


7 


24 


585 


per cent 


48 


14.2 


30.7 


.1 


.1 


4.1 


100 


14th Street 


No. of Pupils 


283 


82 


81 


56 


142 


68 


712 




per cent 


39 


11.5 


11,3 


7.8 


19.9 


9.5 


100 


McKinley 
Avenue 


No of pupils 


468 


20 


221 


64 


132 


71 


976 


per cent 


47.9 


2 


22.6 


6.6 


13.5 


7.2 


100 


Sentous 


No. of pupils 


426 


75 


115 


23 


50 


38 


727 




per cent 


58.6 


10.3 


15.8 


3.1 


6.8 


3.2 


100 


Virgil 


No. of Pupils 


444 


18 


28 


7 


6 


20 


523 




per cent 


82 


3.4 


5.3 


1.3 


1.2 


3.8 


100 


30th Street 


No. of Pupils 


498 


110 


129 


221 


68 


67 


893 




per cent 


55.5 


12.3 


14.4 


2.3 


7.6 


7.5 


100 



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COMMrKCIMJ. . I /OZL I 



eEN£^/1L TISCTIOH I 7J8 
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MFCHflN/C/tl yfXTS \4/Z. I 



94 



An analysis of the foregoing lal)le reveals the fact that a very 
large majority of students in the intermediate schools are select- 
ing either the literary or general elective course. This is to he 
expected. On the other hand, there are many children in each 
school who have selected the various elective courses. Some- 
what striking differences are noted in different communities in 
regard to these features. For examjjle, in the Virgil Inter- 
mediate School 5.3 per cent, of the children chose commercial 
work, whereas in the Custer Avenue 30.7 per cent, selected this 
type of work. This, no doubt, reflects the different community 
sentiment in regard to commercial work. 

In home economics, the percentage varies from one-tenth of 
one per cent, in Custer Avenue to 19.9 per cent, in Fourteenth 
Street. In a similar way the other courses vary in the percentage 
of children who have selected them. This is a very clear illus- 
tration of the fact that children in the different communities 
select courses differently owing to the fact that they have dif- 
ferent interests. No doubt this is one of the important merits 
of the intermediate school and should be continued. It may be 
that it will be found later to be possible to take care of the dif- 
ferent types of children in a given school without offering as 
many different subjects as are now offered. However, it should 
be borne in mind that these courses are not necessarily as dif- 
ferent as they seem. For example, the mechanics arts course 
and the engineering preparatory course in the seventh year, for 
all practical purposes, are identical, so that the two courses can 
l)e offered without additional cost, and the differentiation is no 
doubt of real value on account of the fact that they serve to 
stimulate students to make a serious choice of courses based on 
their later vocational aspirations. 

In summarizing, it may be said that an analysis of the selection 
of courses by pupils in intermediate schools justifies the argu- 
ment presented in their favor to the effect that it will enable 
the children to select work adapted to community preferences. 

6. The Present Arrangement of Courses Subject to 

Change 

It should be said that these elective courses have been offered 
in an experimental way by the intermediate schools. The 
intermediate principals and teachers themselves are making 
changes constantly, as a result of a study of these experiments. 
For example, some of the schools have dropped the Latin, others 
have combined the French and Latin. Algebra has been tried 
out in the B eighth grade, but there seems to be a disposition to 
shift it to the A eighth grade. 

95 



Instruction in the commercial work seems to have met with 
success, and there is already a demand for commercial work in 
some of the non-intermediate schools. It should be said in this 
connection that the teachers and the principals in the interme- 
diate schools seem to be extremely anxious to improve the work 
and to take advantage of the results in every new experiment. 
In other words, these courses have not been put in the schools 
and left there without serious criticism and evaluations on the 
part of the teachers themselves. This is a very wholesome 
situation. 



7. Comparative Records in High School 

Table 25: Showing Comparative Records in High School of Inter- 
mediate AND Grammar School Graduates 

PUPILS who DID NOT ATTEND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 



Year 


Pupils 


Per cent. 


Number with 
extra credits 


3 


14 


1 


12 


S'A 


82 


7 


51 


4 


861 


70 


497 


43^ 


209 


17 


130 


5 


57 


5 


34 


Total 


1223 


100 


724 



PUPILS WHO ATTENDED INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 



Years in H. S. 
tcork inc. Inter. 


Pupils 


Per cent 


Number with 
extra credits 


3 
4 
5 


5 

30 

105 

12 

3 


2 

19 

69 

8 

2 


2 
19 
70 

6 


Total 


155 


100 


97 



Of the pupils who did not attend intermediate school, 14, or 1 
per cent., completed the course in three years (12 of this group 
completed this course with extra credits); 82, or 7 per cent., 
completed the course in three and one-half years, 51 of whom 
received extra credits; 209, or 17 per cent., completed the course 
in four and one-half years, and 5 per cent, completed the course 
in five years. 

96 



Of the pupils who attended the intermediate sehools, 2 per cent, 
finished in three years, 19 per cent, in three and one-half years, 
69 per cent, in four years, 8 per cent, in four and one-half years 
and 2 per cent, in five years. 

Thus it may be seen that 90 per cent, of the pupils who attended 
intermediate school completed the high school in four years, or 
less, whereas, only 78 per cent, of the non-intermediate school 
students graduated from the high school in four years, or less. 
This would indicate that the intermediate school students are 
making better progress in the high school than the students from 
the non-intermediate school. 

If it should be established that the figures indicated in the 
table above become truly descriptive of the situation from year 
to year, so that there is an expectancy of 90 per cent, of the inter- 
mediate school students entering high school being able to grad- 
uate in four years, or less, as compared with 78 per cent, of the 
elementary j^chool students who are able to graduate in four 
years, or less, it will mean that the intermediate school contribut- 
es much in the matter of saving time on the part of students who 
go through the public school. 

In case this is true, the apparent increase in expense in the 
intermediate schools will be measurably offset by a decrease in 
cost in the high school. In the figures above, 22 per cent, of the 
students who entered the high school from the non-intermediate 
schools spent more than four years before graduating. This 
involves considerable expense at the present per capita cost of 
instruction. The fact that one student out of twenty spends a 
full year extra before graduation and that one student out of six 
spends one-half a year extra before graduation, will, if the num- 
ber becomes large, contribute heavily toward the cost of high 
school instruction. Again, the fact that only 8 per cent, of the 
students who come to the high school from the non-intermediate 
school are able to finish in less than four years, is of importance 
in comparison with the fact that 21 per cent, of the children who 
come from intermediate schools are able to complete the high 
school in less than four years. 

It will be unwise to make too hasty inferences from these 
figures; it is too early to make final judgments. As the data 
accumulates within the next few years these ratios may change. 
Nevertheless, it is significant that the figures, as far as they go, 
indicate not only that the intermediate school student makes a 
better record, but that he costs less to educate in the high school 
than does the non-intermediate school student. Indeed, the 
figures indicate that the saving effected thus may partially offset 
the added expenditures earlier in the school career. 

97 



8. DiSTKlBUTION OF 7tH AND 8tH GrADE PuPILS IN ELEMEN- 
TARY AND Intermediate Schools 

Relatively, half of the children in the city of Los Angeles now 
in the 7th and 8th grades are not enrolled in the intermediate 
schools. Figures indicate that a relatively high percentage of 
the students who complete the 8th grade in the intermediate 
school continue in the 9th grade. Likewise, an unusually large 
percentage of the students enter high school who complete the 
intermediate schools. 93 per cent, of the students who completed 
the intermediate school in February, entered high school this 
year. Thus the figures indicate clearly, that the intermediate 
school tends to increase the number of pupils entering high 
school. 

9. Over-Age Pupils in the Intermedl\te Schools 
Based on the Los Angeles system of calculating over-age, the 
children in the intermediate and high schools in 1914 were rela- 
tively old. 

In view of the fact that the promotion rate is high in the 
intermediate schools, interest arises as to why this group was 
over-age. This may have been due to either of two causes; late 
entrance, or low rate of promotion during the first six years. 
Our data indicates that the promotion rates are inc easing, so 
that in the future it may be expected that the percentage of 
over-age shown in 1914 in the intermediate schools will decrease. 

Table 26: Showing Over-Age Pupils in Los Angeles Intermediate 
Schools, October 30, 1914 







Grade 


Bo 


ys 


6'; 


/•/.v 




No. 


% of 
total 


No. 


7oof 
total 


13 years 


and over 


7th 


925 


66 


767 


60 


14 " 


" •' 


8th 


673 


62 


2.53 


34 


15 " 




9th 


390 


53 


367 


51 



Over-Age Pupils in the High Schools, October 30, 1914 





Grade 


Boys 


Girls 




No. 


% of 
total 


No. 


% of 
total 


15 years and over 

16 " " " 

17 '* " " 

18 " " " 


9th 
10th 
11th 
12th 


1220 
744 
541 
312 


70 
65 
54 
52 


8.50 
686 
498 
3.52 


54 
57 
41 
45 



98 



The figures gathered in tlie Sii|)«'riiil(Mi(l('iit"s office indicated 
that half of the students were one or more years over-age. As 
indicated in the discussion ahove, this will })rol)al)ly l)e reduced 
later. Los Angeles is interested in this ))rol)Iein for this reason: — 
If over-age means that ciiildren are spending more than twelve 
years in getting twelve years of work, it is costing a great deal 
of money for the city to i)rovide this extra year, or more, of 
schooling. On the other hand, these figures may be largely due 
to the presence of temporary attendants, e. g., the children of 
tourists. Over-age may be due to irregularity in attendance and 
late entrance, or it may be that children who should have started 
to school at six years of age did not start until they were seven 
years old or older. In such cases, the responsibility for condit- 
tions would be altogether different than in the case indicated 
above. In one ca.se the responsibility belongs to the parent, 
and in the other to the school 

At any rate, the truth should be known, and this can only be 
found out by a detailed study of each individual child in the high 
school. Such a study might be undertaken to advantage. 

10. Variation in Ratio of Teachers to Pupils 
With the rapid development of the intermediate schools and 
the vast number of adjustments necessary in their organization, 
wide variation has resulted in the distribution of teachers in the 
various schools. Some schools have used relatively many more 
teachers per thousand children than others. For example, the 
number of students per teacher in Boyle Heights is four more 
than in Custer Avenue; that is to say, Custer Avenue averages 
19.31 pupils per teacher, whereas Boyle Heights averages 23.94. 
This makes a difference of ten teachers per thousand students, a 
difterence in cost of from $12,000 to $16,800. 

Another example of this is seen in the case of the McKinley 
and Boyle Heights schools. Within the past tw^o years the Mc- 
Kinley school has secured an additional teacher for each sixteen 
students. Boyle Heights has had an increase of more than one 
hundred students, with one less teacher. It is true that Boyle 
Heights, a few years ago, had relatively fewer children than the 
McKinley school. Nevertheless, the difference between these 
schools is significant. The number of pupils per teacher in the 
McKinlev High School, March, 1910, was 20.4G; at Boyle 
Heights, '23.94. 

11. Need of Some Standard for Assigning Teachers 
As the enrollment in these schools is increasing with great 
rapidity, the Board should establish a policy in regard to the 
number of pupils per teacher so as to make it possible to distribute 
funds throughout the schools of the city on an eciuitable basis. 

99 



From the standpoint of general administrative theory, it is 
frequently asserted that the efficiency of the schools increases 
as the number of pupils per teacher decreases. However, there 
is a difference of opinion as to the limitations of this theory. At 
the present time the situation in Los Angeles intermediate 
schools offers an excellent opportunity for finding out something 
definite about the unit to be recommended. 

The administration should, by means of a detailed survey, 
make a very thorough study of the results being obtained in the 
different schools which are providing different numbers of teach- 
ers per thousand students. If tests were made of the efficiency 
of the work in Custer Avenue, registering twenty pupils, and in 
Boyle Heights school, registering twenty-four pupils per teacher, 
it would be possible to find out whether or not it is worth while 
to reduce the number of students per teacher in Boyle Heights 
or to increase the number of students per teacher in the Custer 
Avenue school. 

While the demand for economy at the present time may not 
be such as to make it imperative to make such an adjustment, 
yet as a matter of future policy, it is highly important that the 
experiment which has gone on in Los Angeles, viz : that of pro- 
viding a widely varying teaching force per thousand students, 
should be checked up. Teachers quite generally seem to feel 
that the results are better as a result of the fact that there is a 
relatively large number of teachers in the schools. But, from 
the standpoint of scientific accuracy, these teachers have no 
adequate way of judging as to whether or not the work here is 
better than in other cities operating under a different schedule. 
Nor do they have records to show that instruction is more ef- 
ficient in one school than in another. 



12. Opposition to the Intermediate Schools 

It has been quite natural to expect that these schools should 
have aroused criticism. Criticism is due to a number of causes, 
among which is the shifting of students from one school to the 
other. For example, the young children below the seventh 
grade who have been attending elementary school R are sent to 
elementary schools, X, Y, and Z. This means that the wishes 
and expectations of parents are disturbed; that children have to 
accustom themselves to new routes of travel, etc., so that it is 
not unnatural that a spirit of opposition is aroused. Children 
in schools X, Y, and Z in the 7th and 8th grades are sent to school 
R. This means that all of the children except the children in 
the 7th and 8th grades in school R must make new adjustments. 
On the other hand, the children in the district who are ready for 

100 



the high school are accommodated much nearer their own homes 
than would have been the case had they been transferred to 
high schools. Also, many parents prefer to have their children 
in the schools which enroll only children of the first six grades. 
They believe that older children should not associate with young- 
er children, and vice versa. From the pedagogical standpoint, 
theorj' favors the policy of providing departmental instruction 
as it has been earlier developed in the 7th and 8th grades in the 
intermediate school. 

Another objection has been that some of the teachers in the 
schools X, Y, and Z object to giving up their older children. 
Some of them feel that they have been demoted. This feeling 
has been accentuated by the fact that the intermediate school 
teachers were given additional pay. 

It should be said that the schools cannot be administered on 
the basis of making constant adjustments to complaints such as 
the foregoing. Cases involving travel for an unreasonable 
distance should be given most serious attention, and schools 
should not be established until after a most thorough analysis 
has been made by the Superintendent of the schools as to pros- 
pective difficulties. However, the Board of Education, on the 
basis of the analysis as made, should formulate a policy and 
administer the schools accordingly. There will never be a time 
when some parents are not more advantageously located, as 
far as schools are concerned, than others. Real estate men 
have long recognized the value of close proximity to schools. 

13. A Policy Should be Established and Observed 

The question as to whether or not additional schools should be 
established can be answered only after a thorough platting of 
the location of the schools in such a way as to find out whether 
or not they can be extended equitably. In view of the increased 
attendance in the upper grades of the school course, Los Angeles 
can aftord to make considerable sacrifice in the way of minor 
inconveniences, as far as distance is concerned, if it is known 
that the extension of the intermediate schools is desired. The 
whole educational law is based on the fact that the community 
is not willing to trust the caprices of the parent so far as the wel- 
fare of the child is concerned. Educational legislation and 
develppment today is all in the direction of the attempt to hold 
the largest possible percentage of children until after they have 
completed high school. By the establishment of the intermedi- 
ate school Los Angeles has introduced a promising experiment. 
The extension of the intermediate school, when finally deter- 
mined after further study, should be a valuable aid in that direc- 
tion. 

101 



14. EsTlMATIN(i THE CoST OF INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS 

Respecting the cost of intermediate schools, it should be said 
that the figures in the Annual Report are subject to a possible 
misinterpretation due to the fact that under the California law 
it has been necessary, until this year, to keep the elementary 
and high school funds separate. In so doing, arbitrary charges 
have been made against one or the other funds from time to 
time, in order actually to meet the needs of the schools. Thus, 
the Auditor's report of June 30th, 1915, shows the following: 



Cost of Expense of Expense of Extra- T f I 

School Instruc- Opera- Main- ordinary „ 

tion lion tenance Expense " 



Boyle Heights. 
Elementary . . . 
Boyle Heights 
High School. . . 



$41,907.60 13,832.17 $ 5,044.33 $20,191 .44170,975.54 
42,284.77 2,964.43 27.30 1,646.20 46,922.70 



Average Daily Attendance Cost per capita Total cost per capita 

736 Elementary $ 69.00 

139 High School 239 . 55 $103 . 85 



The Boyle Heights Intermediate School consists of children 
enrolled in the 7th, 8th and 9th year courses. The number of 
students in the elementary part of this school represents, roughly, 
two-thirds of the total number. Since the salaries of the teachers 
are all paid on a basis of the same salary schedule, it would seem 
that the natural division of expense would be chargeable: two- 
thirds of the total against the elementary, and one-third of the 
total against the high school fund. However, in view of the fact 
that there was more money available in the high school fund 
than in the elementary fund, and that certain limitations in 
elementary salaries compelled a redistribution of fimds, more 
than one-half of the total amount for operating the school was 
paid from the high school fund. Therefore, the high school 
part of the intermediate school appears to cost $239.55 per 
capita, which is not the case. All costs of instruction in the 
intermediate schools should be lumped; that is, $41,970.60 
should be added to $42,294.77; this should be divided by the 
average daily attendance. A per capita cost for instruction in 
the intermediate schools would then be $91.02. This per capita 
cost is not unreasonable as compared with cost of operation in 
the high school in view of the fact that the teachers are paid on 
the same salary schedule. 

102 



15. Recommendations 

The Coiuniittco reooinnicnds: 

1: That the policy of educating chii(h-eii in the inter- 
mediate schools be continued, and that, after a 
thorough analysis of all factors involved, additional 
intermediate schools be established from time to 
time, as conditions warrant. 

2: That the investigation begun l)y this Committee be 
continued so as to discover the relative ett'ectiveness 
of instruction of pui)ils in the grammar and in the 
intermediate schools. 

3: That the policy of outlining courses suggesting different 
life or vocational interests be continued. 

4: That a Bureau of Research be directed to unde take 
the task of determining an optimum number of 
children per teacher in the various subjects. 



103 



VI 
HIGH SCHOOLS 

Los Angeles operates the following high schools: — Franklin, 
Gardena, Hollywood, Lincoln, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manual 
Arts, Owensmouth, Polytechnic, San Fernando, San Pedro, Van 
Nuys and Wilmington. These high schools vary as to size, as 
is shown in the table. They also differ somewhat in regard to 
character. An attempt has been made to emphasize agricultural 
work at Gardena; marine work at San Pedro; technical work at 
Polytechnic; academic work at Los Angeles and Hollywood. 
The Superintendent reports that Manual Arts High School has 
from the beginning endeavored to be a cosmopolitan high school. 

1. Distinctive Features of the High Schools 

One of the distinctive features of the Los Angeles high schools 
is the fact that the students are given a wide range of choice in 
the matter of taking work leading toward vocational interests. 

The students in Los Angeles find it possible to choose from a 
very large number of subjects. Moreover, the principals have 
offered va'uable assistance to the students by arranging a large 
number of courses suited to their different interests. 

Reference to the table found on a later page indicates that the 
actual selection of courses on the part of students varies from 
school to school. A majority of the students select what may 
be termed general courses. There are exceptions and these 
exceptions contribute largely to the number of small classes 
reported in a later table. 

2. The Special Versus the Cosmopolitan High School 

The high schools of Los Angeles have been established at dif- 
ferent periods with different conceptions. For example, the 
Los Angeles High School was considered to be primarily charged 
with the responsibility of serving students desiring college pre- 
paratory work. However, in recent years additional courses 
have been established in commercial work, manual training, 
home economics and agriculture. At present these courses in 
agriculture, manual training and home economics are not ex- 
tensive. Similarly Polytechnic High School was created for the 
purpose of making a technical high school. As the students 
have increased in number there has grown a demand for addi- 
tional work, as indicated in the enrollment in general elective 
courses, which are in no sense technical courses. The Manual 
x\rts high school has become in effect a cosmopolitan high school 
in which a very wide range of courses are offered. On the one 
hand courses in Latin are offered; on the other, courses in mil- 
linery and technical work for girls, as well as machine shop and 
automobile work for boys. 

104 



Thus it may be seen that these three schools, established for 
different purposes, have come to be more and more alike. These 
changes are due not only to the possible desire of the Board or its 
officers but to the demands of the people within the adjoining 
territory. 

The question of the Special vs. the Cosmopolitan High School 
should be decided by consideration of educational values, costs 
and convenience to students. Unless there be some distinctive 
features in the tone or spirit of a school organization which makes 
the segregation desirable of a special group of students such as is 
suggested in the establishment of junior colleges, there is no 
reason why the service of the high school should not be suf- 
ficiently broad to meet the demands of a neighborhood. 

Cost is another important factor. This is dependent on 
size of enrollment of classes, and relative cost of instruction and 
equipment. In those subjects in which special equipment is 
necessary, such as the installation of machine shops, cost may be 
an important item. However, a class in language, mathematics 
or any of the usual high school subjects may be taught as econom- 
ically in one building as in another. Again, if the enrollment 
is so low as to involve a duplication of many small classes, when 
a smaller number of classes enrolling a larger number of children 
could be maintained in fewer buildings, then some intelligent 
discretion should be used so as to guard against unnecessary 
expenditure. 

On the ground of convenience all arguments favor Cosmo- 
politan High Schools. The committee recommends that courses 
be multiplied in high schools as the convenience of neighborhoods 
requires, subject to the condition that there be no unneces- 
sary duplication of equipment and no unnecessary mul- 
tiplication of small classes. These facts can only be deter- 
mined by special investigation from time to time. 

3. Electives in High Schools 

With the growth of the large high schools in Los Angeles it 
has become possible to offer a wide range of subject matter with- 
out materially increasing the expense. In other words, if there 
is a sufficient number of students taking language to require the 
entire time of ten teachers, no increase of cost is involved if some 
of the teachers teach French, others German, others Latin, etc. 
The large high schools, consequently, are able to offer a wide 
range of electives without difficulty. This, however, is not the 
case with the smaller high schools in the outlying districts. The 
administration has recognized this in a measure, and has not 
offered as wide a range of courses in these schools as in the larger 
schools. They have also attempted to reduce expenses, and at 
the same time provide electives, by offering work in alternate 

105 



years. For example, in the Wilmington High School the De- 
partment of Science oflFers physics one year and chemistry the 
next; thus the two subjects are offered without additional ex- 
pense as far as teaching is concerned. 

In general, it may be said that educators are not agreed as to 
the extent to which students may be permitted to elect work. 
Some believe that many drop out of high school because they 
have not been able to pursue the subjects they felt would be 
helpful to them. Therefore a wide range of choice has been 
offered. Los Angeles, in common with many other cities, has 
offered the student many electives, and the students by thous- 
ands have been attracted to the schools. 

Others believe that a wide discretion in electing studies does 
not prove that the pupil may choose wisely. This does not imply 
that the tastes or abilities of pupils should be disregarded, but 
that these should not be confounded wdth caprice. 

The elective system should be continued pending a study of 
results. Inasmuch as these courses have been established a 
relatively short time, it is impossible to determine whether or not 
this opportunity for free electives reacts beneficially on students 
as a whole. Because educational values are so difficult to deter- 
mine, educational results are usually judged on the surface. 
To quote one of the high school principals: 

"The answer cannot be given until after the policy has been in 
operation six or seven years, because students who have been 
graduated from the high school at the present time have not 
had the benefit of the complete organization extending through 
six years." 

In summarizing, it should be said that Los Angeles, in common 
w'ith other cities, is attempting the experiment of offering elect- 
ives with the hope of improving the effectiveness of secondary 
instruction. The answer cannot be determined Avithin less then 
several years, five at least. Therefore, this Committee recom- 
mends that the elective system be continued, and that a follow- 
up method of tracing the subsequent progress of pupils be inaug- 
urated. 

4. Groavth in the High School Enrollment 

Los Angeles, in common with other cities in the United States, 
shows a marked increase in the percentage of students enrolled 
in the High School. Within recent years there has been every- 
where seen a marked tendency to fill up the upper grades. This 
is shown very strikingly by the figures given in the table below. 
This table should be read as follows: 

In 1896-7, of the total number of children enrolled in the public 
schools, 12.4 percent were in the kindergarten; 19.9 per cent, 
were in the first grade; 13,1 per cent, were in the second grade; 

106 



10.8 per cent, were in the third grade, etc., showing O.d per cent. 
only in the 12th year. 

Table 27: Showing Perckntage of E.nuullmext in All (iuAOEs 



Year 


A' 


1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


9 


10 


11 


12 . 


96-7 

01-2 

06-7 

11-12 

12-13 

13-14 

14-15 


12.4 
11.1 

8.6 
9.4 
9.9 

9.85 
9.8 


19.9 

16.8 

17.9 

16.4 

16.2 

15.96 

14.4 


13.1 

12 3 

10.3 

10.4 

10 3 

10.01 

10.4 


10.8 
12.8 
12.5 
10 6 
10.3 
10.48 
9.6 


10.8 

10.8 

11.4 

9.9 

19.1 

9.96 

9.5 


9.4 
10.6 
10 5 

8.9 
8.8 
8.9 
9.2 


8.0 
9.1 

8.6 
8.6 
8.2 
8.0 
7.9 


6.0 
6.0 
7.2 
7.3 
7 1 
1.7 
8.2 


4.3 
4.2 
5.1 
6.9 

7.8 
7.7 
8.6 


3 
3.2 
4.3 

5.8 
4.8 
4.9 
5.2 


1.3 
1.7 
1.9 
2.8 
2.9 
3 
3.3 


.7 

.8 

.8 
1.5 
1.9 
2.11 
2.06 


.6 

.6 

.7 
1.1 
15 
1.48 
1.8 



6.3 per cent, of the total enrollment wa.s in the high school in 
1901, and in 1906, 7.7 per cent, of the total enrollment was in 
the high school. In 1911-12, 11.2 per cent, were enrolled in the 
high school. In 1914-15, 12.3 per cent, were enrolled in the high 
school. This should be very gratifying to the City of Los 
Angeles, as it is an excellent measure of the success of the public 
school system in holding its students for the high school. 

It is of interest in this connection to note the variable interest 
throughout the United States, as follows: 

Percentage of Total Enrollment Found in High School 

Minneapolis 14 per cent. plus. 

Boston 13 

Los Angeles 12 

Detroit 9 

St. Louis 6 

Cleveland 6 

Newark 5 

This shows not only the fact that cities vary in holding power, 
but it also shows that Los Angeles ranks well up to the front in 
this particular. 

5. Percentage of High School Students in Senior Class 

Interest attaches, as to the proportion in the senior classes, 
of the total enrollment of the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th years. 
The table below shows that this number varies from 6 per cent, 
in the Wilmington high school to 24 per cent, in the Lincoln 
High School. The mode is 20 per cent. The figures for the 
United States as reported by the Commissioner of f^ducation in 
1914 show 21 per cent, of the high school enrollment to be in the 
senior class. Thus Los Angeles is on the whole somewhat above 
the normal in this respect. 

107 



Table 28." Showing Percentage of Senior Pupils in High School 
of Total Enrolled. 

Gardena 20 

Hollywood 21 

Lincoln 24 

Los Angeles 23 

Manual Arts 20 

Polytechnic 20 

San Fernando 20 

San Pedro 15 

Van Nuys U 

Wilmington 6 

6. Elimination of Pupils from the High School 

Responses from the high school principals relative to the 
number of students who dropped out during the term ending 
February, 1916 indicates the fact that 93^ per cent, of the pupils 
in the various classes dropped out at some time during their 
semesters. This dropping out was more noticeable in the case 
of the 9th year than in the senior year as indicated from the fact 
that the dropping out was 15 per cent, in the 9th year and only 
4-10 of 1 per cent, in the 12th year. Only 13 per cent, of the 9th 
grade students who had been in the intermediate schools dropped 
courses, as compared with 15 per cent, of the 9th grade students 
who had come from the non-intermediate schools. For the 10th 
year 12 per cent, of the former intermediate school students 
dropped their w^ork as compared with 9 per cent, of the non- 
intermediate school students. This indicates that a certain gap 
still exists for the student who enters the high school from the 
intermediate school. In other words, the students who entered 
the high school from the 8th grade found difficulties of adjust- 
ment, as indicated by the percentage of students dropping work, 
and in the same way the students in the 10th year coming from 
the intermediate school found similar difficulties of adjustment as 
indicated from the fact that 12 per cent, dropped the work. 

However, in the 11th and 12th grades the intermediate school 
student makes a better record, as far as dropping courses is 
concerned, than does the student from the grammar school. 



108 



Table 29 below shows this data in detail. 



Table 29: 



Showing the Elimination (jf llitai School Pupils 
AcroKDiNG to Yeaks 













No. 
elmd. 




No. 


No. 

elmd. 












No. 


who 




enrld. 


who 










Per 


en rid. 


enrld. 




from 


enrld. 








Total 


cent. 


from 


From 


Per 


ord. 


fro m 


Per 


Grade 


Total 


elimin- 


elimin- 


inter. 


inter. 


cent. 


Hlh 


Sth 


cent. 


year 


enrl. 


ated 


ated 


school 


school 


elmd. 


grade 


grade 


elmd. 


9 


2427 


358 


15 


443 


59 


13 


1976 


299 


15 


10 


2501 


247 


10 


1151 


135 


12 


1296 


112 


9 


11 


1857 


151 


8 


700 


41 


6 


1101 


110 


10 


12 


123S 


50 


4 


403 


13 


3 


793 


37 


5 


Tot<al . 


8023 


806 


10 


2697 


248 


9 


5166 


458 


9 



Grand Total Enrollment 15886 

elimination 1512 

per cent 9.5 

The table means that in the 9th grade there were 2,427 students 
enrolled, 358, or 15% of whom dropped a course. 59, or 13% 
of the 443 students who came from the intermediate school 
dropped a course, etc. 

7. Size of Classes in Intermediate and High Schools 
The Board of Education in January of this year sent out an 
inquiry to each teacher in the city asking for a detailed state- 
ment of the teacher's activity for each day in the week, including 
the time given to actual classes, roll call, conference periods, 
assembly duty and playground, together with the number of 
students under the charge of the teacher during each of these 
periods. 

These data were rearranged by your committee for the entire 
city so as to show the size of classes in each intermediate and 
high school in the different subjects taught. Reference to the 
tables following makes it possible for this information to be 
secured for each school. Tables 30-31 show the distribution 
of classes by subjects in the high and intermediate schools com- 
bined. It should be borne in mind that the number of classes 
of different size is subject to variation from semester to semester 
and even at different times in the same semester. However, 
these are the facts for the week ending January 28, 1916, as 
given by the teachers. Every teacher in the city reported. 

It is noteworthy that there was wide variation in the size of 
classes. For example, more than 25 per cent, of the classes 
registered fewer than 15 students. There were more than 650 
classes registering fewer than 10 students. On the other hand 
there were 176 groups enrolling 40 or more students. 

109 



T.\BLE .'50: Sii()wiv<; thk Distuibutio.v of ("l.vsses by Sitbjects in the 
High and Intermediate Schools 













Size 


of Cla.ifi 















lo 
4 


5 
to 
9 


10 
lo 
14 


15 
fo 
19 


20 
to 
24 


25 
to 
29 


30 
to 
34 


35 
to 
39 


40 
to 
44 


45 
to 
49 


.50 


Medi- 
ans 


Cooking .... 

Sewing 

French 

English 

Algebra 

Drawing. . . . 


G 
18 

4 
31 

4 
18 


25 
22 
17 
40 

7 
44 


24 
35 
22 

72 
17 
46 


47 

71 
21 
87 
26 
66 


24 

40 

12 

165 

40 

68 


2 

12 

4 

164 

57 

63 


3 

102 
27 
14 


1 

52 
5 

4 


12 
9 


3 
1 
5 




15-19 
1.5-19 
10-14 
20-24 
20-24 
1.5-19 


Manual and 


























industrial . 

Arts 


14 


57 


82 


91 


55 


24 




1 








L5-19 


Supervision 
of stuilv 
hall ..."... 


19 


22 


16 


21 


36 


40 


57 


38 


11 


6 


26 


2.5-29 


Geometry. . . 




10 


7 


12 


23 


26 


4 










20-24 


Commercial 
and busi- 


























ness arith- 
metic 


2 


5 


9 


9 


5 


4 


2 


1 








15-19 


Trigono- 
metry ... 
Stenography 


1 
16 


1 
11 


1 
16 


27 


16 


2 
10 


1 

4 


3 


1 






10-14 
15-19 


Typewriting 


4 


7 


13 


19 


12 


4 


2 


3 


1 






1.5-19 


Bookkeep- 
ing 


2 


15 


21 


31 


17 


17 


6 


4 




1 




1.5-19 


Physiology 
and hygiene 




4 


6 


9 


10 


8 


11 


5 


4 


2 




20-24 


General 
science 




4 


5 


12 


4 


11 


3 


5 








20-24 


Agricultural . 


29 


15 


12 


9 
















5-9 


General 
Music .... 


11 


21 


16 


18 


12 


20 


14 


12 


10 


2 


2 


20-24 


Chorus 

Music. . . . 


2 




1 


8 


6 


4 


5 


5 


1 


2 


9 


25-29 


Orchestra 
Music. . . . 


9 


7 


3 




3 


3 


1 




1 






5-9 



110 



Table 30 roNTiNUBi) 











15 
to 
19 




Sizr 


if CI 


l.fS 













tn 
4 


5 

to 
9 


10 

fn 
14 


20 
fn 
24 


25 

to 
29 


30 
to 
34 


35 
to 
39 


40 
to 
44 


45 
to 
49 


50 


Med- 
ians 


I'liysical 
trainiiifj. , . 


4 


5 


25 


35 


30 


19 


22 


19 


14 


8 


17 


20-24 


Allilctics. . . 




2 


() 


4 


7 


1 


1 


1 


2 






15-19 


La till 


12 


27 


17 


19 


2(r 


23 


8 










15-19 


Si)aiii.sli 


7 


21 


2S 


31 


54 


37 


16 


s 








20-24 


(icrinan 


8 


19 


18 


29 


11 


8 


2 


1 








15-19 


History 


3 


15 


23 


33 


58 


69 


58 


28 


7 


3 




25-29 


Geography . . 


1 


2 


3 


9 


7 


18 


11 


11 


7 


1 


1 


25-29 


Arithmetic . . 


2 


1 


7 


16 


22 


27 


26 


12 


5 


2 




25-29 


Total 


227 


426 


551 


760 


757 


677 


400 


219 


85 


36 


55 





Grand total 4193 

tig:- 16 - 

Cl/ISSti JH INTETtMEil/ITE .flfa> HISH iCHOOlS /TKXffHCEJ) /fCCQ-KDING TO 
HOMXE-K. ntiD MEVinh LIMITS t)r EfJ-KOlMS^T. jSfe r^hU 3») 

• M £ X> / /f /i S ■ 
>5 T» 3 . 10 Te 14. 13 To 13. ^0T»^4 ^5 To Zg 

^CUssa , .Clones , .CldUti . {Inm , , ^!asan 






DTT/rwiNG 



M/inuflL 

MKTS 






iz$ 



T/irsic/7L 



CZni-MUiK 



a^OMETT-l 



ei/iL. iciihct 



SiJTETtyiscr- 
STVi^ HULL 

/rKlTHMCTlC 

Cnntui nunc 



111 



8. Attendance By Schools And Subjects 
Table 31: Showing Attendance by Schools and Subjects in Inter- 



MEDIATE AND HiGH 


Schools 


FOR 


Week E 


NDING 


J^ 


lni 


JART 


28, 


1916 




























il 














ci 6 






















a: 




^ 


--^ 


S: 




r^ 


a: 


a: 


O 












'-i 


l-H 








'-< 




^ 


■-i 


=^ 


*-< 


'-J 






_c 


s^ 


^ 


a; 


a; 






>~-i 


=^ 


"5; 


►-^ 






'«i 




>-! 


c 


|-~i 


c 


10 




tt 


c 


^ 


^ 


-? 








o 








•-H 


>~A 


!.- 


|-~( 


j^ 




c 


0-. 


5 




p 


Si 




t5 


Q, 


p 














^ 


S' 
25 


o 

CO 


- 


o 

►5 


3h 
r. 


C5 


1 


g 

O 


6 














Size of 
Class 






.4 


RI 


Ti 


H^ 


IE 


Tl 


C- 


-{including 


Household 


Arithmet 


ic) 



0-4 












1 

1 
2 
3 

2 
1 
1 
1 


1 
2 
5 
3 

1 


1 
1 
2 
2 

1 


2 

5 
3 
3 


1 

2 
3 
3 


1 
2 


1 
1 


1 
1 
















2 


5-9 

10-14. . . 




1 

3 
2 

t 


1 
3 

4 

10 

2 

1 


2 
4 
1 


3 

1 
5 

1 


1 
7 


15-19 

20-24 

25-29 


2 
3 


16 
22 

27 


30-34 

35-39 


1 


26 

12 


40-44 

45-49 

50- 


2 

1 


5 

2 









Commercial and 


Business Ari 


hmetic 












0- 4 . . . 












1 
1 


1 
1 


1 
1 


1 

1 


1 

1 

1 


1 


1 




1 




1 




1 
1 


1 
3 

1 
1 
1 


'2 
1 


2 


5- 9. . . 










1 
1 


5 


10-14 

15-19 

20-24 . . 


1 
1 


1 


2 


1 

1 


9 
9 
5 


25-29 . . 




1 




4 


30-34 

35-39 




2 
1 


40-44 

45-49 

50- 















Algebra 



0-4 




1 

1 

1 




L 


1 

4 




1 


■ • 
1 


3 


1 

2 


1 




1 




1 
1 


'2 


1 


2 


1 




4 


5-9 




7 


10-14 


2 


17 


15-19 


2 


2 






5 


1 


2 


1 


2 


1 




1 


1 






1 


1 


4 


1 


1 


26 


20-24 


1 


5 


3 




3 


2 


1 


4 


2 




2 












3 


6 


6 


2 


40 


25-29 .... 




3 


3 


2 

1 


1 


1 
4 


4 
3 


4 
2 


4 
1 




1 












7 
6 


8 


8 
5 


11 
2 


67 


30-34 


3 


27 


35-39 


1 






3 




1 






























5 


40-44 













































45-49. . 










1 
































1 


50- 













112 



Table 31 — Continued 





Q 


<: 

*-< 




•-< 


"a; 


25 


c 

CO 


5i 


5; 




^5 

6 


s 




•-^ 


c 

t 

i 






■^ 

-J 







^"c 


Size of 
Class 


Geometry {Plane, Solid and Descripfivc) 


0-4 

.5-9 

10-14 




1 
1 


1 

■ ■ 


1 


i 
1 


1 


1 


1 


i 

2 

2 


1 

1 


1 

1 


'2 


'2 




1 
1 


1 

1 


1 

2 
5 


1 
3 

7 
1 


2 
1 
6 
6 

1 


1 

6 
4 
1 


10 ' 

7 


1.5-19 

20-24 

2.5-29 

30-34 

3;5-39 

40-44 

45-49 


1 


12 

23 

26 

4 



Trigonometri/ 



0-4 

6-9 

10-14 

1.5-19 

20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

3.5-39. .• 

40-44 

45-49 
































1 
1 


1 


1 


1 

1 




1 
1 

1 

1 



Geography 



0-4 










1 

3 
2 

1 


'2 

1 
3 
3 
2 


■ • 


2 

2 

1 


1 
2 

1 
5 

1 


1 
1 

'2 


1 


1 










1 

3 
2 
1 

• ■ 






1 


6- 9 

10-14 




1 

1 
2 
1 
2 
2 
1 

1 


2 
1 
2 


1 
3 
2 

1 


1 




2 
3 


15-19. . 




9 


20-24 




7 


25-29 

30-34 




18 
11 


35-39 




11 


40-44 

4.5-49 

50- 


2 
1 


7 
1 
1 









113 



Table 31 — Continued 



vJ C 



Size of 
Class 


















History 






















0-4 


1 


















1 
















1 






3 


5-9 


1 


2 


1 




1 






1 








2 


2 


1 


2 


1 


1 


1 






15 


10-14 


3 


2 


1 




1 


2 


2 




3 


4 




2 










2 




1 




23 


15-19 


1 


4 




1 


2 


1 


4 


2 


5 


2 


1 














6 


3 


1 


33 


20-24 


1 


2 


4 


1 


3 


4 


1 


2 


6 


3 


2 




1 








7 


13 


4 


4 


58 


25-29 


4 


5 


3 


2 


2 


3 


5 


2 


2 




1 








1 


1 


11 


18 


1 


9 


69 


30-34 


1 


2 


3 


2 


1 


8 


5 


4 


4 




1 












6 


4 


7 


10 


58 


35-39 


4 


3 




3 


2 


3 


3 


1 


















4 




5 




28 


40-44 




1 


1 


2 
2 




1 




1 


1 




















i 




7 


45-49 




3 


50- 























G 


enera 


6 


cience 






















0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 


1 
2 

1 




1 

1 
2 


2 
1 
1 


1 

1 
1 


1 


1 

1 

'2 


1 
1 

"2 


'2 






1 


' 




1 




'2 
'2 


■ ■ 


1 

'2 
2 


1 
2 

'3 


4 

5 

12 

4 


25-29 






11 


30-34 






3 


35-39 








5 


40-44 

45-49 

50- 















English 



0-4 


1 


3 








4 


2 




5 


2 




1 


1 




3 


2 


3 


1 


3 




31 


5- 9 


3 


4 








7 


1 




4 


3 




1 


1 


i 


1 




4 


4 


3 


3 


40 


10-14 


6 


7 






3 


8 


2 


3 


9 


4 


4 


5 


3 


1 




2 


7 


3 


9 




72 


15-19 


1 


8 


3 


3 


2 


6 


4 


1 


3 


4 


4 


3 


1 




1 


4 


18 


6 


10 


5 


87 


20-24 


5 


3 


S 


4 


7 


S 


7 


8 


16 


8 


3 




1 








22 


25 


23 


17 


165 


25-29 


4 


7 


6 


7 


7 


9 


6 


7 


8 


5 


5 












20 


25 


25 


23 


164 


30-34 


3 


8 


12 


4 


7 


9 


12 


7 


6 




1 












10 


3 


7 


13 


102 


35-39 


9 





4 


11 


2 




6 


4 


5 
















2 


1 




/ 


52 


40-44 


4 






3 


1 


2 


1 






















1 




2 


12 


45-49 


1 


1 








1 






























3 



114 













Table 


31 


— Continued 






















o 

2 


1.. 


S 
O 




o 
55 


o 

'CO 


Si 


5: 

"5 


5! 

O 


3= 


s 

0-. 


=: 
i-J 

>; 


S 


5: 


-2 
5 


a: 


a: 

►-5 


a. 


a: 

5 
c 


"a 

e5 


Size of 
Class 


French 


0-4: 




1 




1 
3 

1 
1 


1 
3 
2 


2 
2 

1 


1 

2 

1 


1 
2 
1 
2 


4 
1 


■ • 












1 


1 
1 
4 

1 
2 


1 

2 
1 

4 
1 

1 


1 

7 
1 
1 


• • 
2 
2 
2 
5 


4 


5-9 




17 


10-14 

15-19 


5 






22 
21 


20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

50- 


1 






12 
4 



German 



0-4 










1 

2 

1 
1 


2 
3 
1 
1 

1 
1 


3 

1 
2 


3 
1 
2 


1 
2 
3 
2 

1 








2 


2 


1 


1 

1 


1 


1 
1 
3 

1 

1 


1 
1 
4 

2 


1 
1 
4 
2 


8 


5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 


1 
2 
1 




1 
1 
3 
1 


3 
1 


19 
18 
29 
11 


25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

60- 


1 


8 
2 
1 



Spanish 



0-4 




















5 






1 
















7 


5-9 




1 
3 




2 

1 


4 




1 


1 

1 


2 
4 


5 


1 


2 


1 
1 




2 


2 
1 


1 




2 
2 


1 


21 


10-14 


2 


28 


15-19 


3 


4 




3 


4 




1 




8 




3 








1 




1 




2 


4 


31 


20-24 


2 


3 


5 


2 




2 


7 


1 


7 




1 












4 




7 


7 


54 


25-29 


2 


3 


2 




2 


8 


3 




5 
















6 




3 


2 


37 


30-34 




1 

1 


1 


1 
1 


. . 


2 
3 


2 


3 


















4 




2 


2 


16 


35-39. . 




8 


40-44 






45-49 












































50- 













































lis 



Table 31 — Continuki) 



She of 
Class 


Latin 


0- 4. . . 




2 
3 




1 
1 
1 

1 

1 


3 

1 
1 


1 

1 

1 
2 


1 
2 
2 
1 


1 
2 

1 


1 
4 

1 
1 

2 


2 

1 






4 

1 


1 


1 
1 


2 




9 

I 

2 

5 

1 


5 
2 
5 
7 
5 
2 


1 
2 
2 
5 
9 
4 


12 


5-9 

10-14 

15-19. . . . 


3 
3 


27 
17 
19 


20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

50- 


1 
1 






20 
23 

S 



Drawing 



0- 4 . 












1 

4 

1 


2 
2 


1 

3 

1 


7 
6 
8 
2 


9 
5 

4 

1 


1 
3 
1 
3 
2 


2 

2 


2 
1 
2 


1 


2 

4 

1 


1 
2 


1 

9 

19 


8 
6 
5 


10 

8 

9 

13 


3 

2 

10 




18 


5- 9. 




6 
3 

6 
2 


3 
2 
3 


1 
3 
3 


2 
3 
2 
4 


44 


10-14 . . . 




46 


15-19. . 




66 


20-24 


4 


68 


25-29. . 




2 

1 


6 

1 


3 




7 
5 


4 


2 




2 














19 
1 


2 


14 
4 


2 


63 


30-34. .- 


2 


14 


35-39 




2 




2 


































4 


40-44 


4 




1 








4 




























9 


45-49 


ft 








































5 


50- 



























































Music 


{Genera 


/) 




















0- 4 












2 
2 

2 
2 
3 
1 

1 


4 

1 

1 
1 
2 


1 
1 
1 
3 
1 


2 
1 
2 


1 

1 
1 
1 
1 




2 

• • 


3 
1 


■ ■ 


1 




7 
1 
3 
2 
3 


2 
6 
3 


1 
1 
3 
5 

4 
3 

1 


1 
3 
3 

1 

2 


11 


5-9 












21 


10-14 

15-19 

20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 


1 
1 
2 

1 
1 
1 
2 


2 

3 

2 
2 


1 
1 
2 

2 


3 
1 
2 

2 


1 

i 
1 

2 


16 
18 
12 
20 
14 
12 
10 
2 


50- 










2 















110 













T 


\B 


.K 


il" 


-( 


ONTINIKI) 




















o 
to 




to 
I. 


s 

to 


to 

s 
O 


to 


In 

to 

»^ 

y: 

o 
CO 


1^ 


^5 

>-< 

"5 

to 


=3 
-■^ 

to 

fin 

3 

V3 


5: 
■-^ 

a 
-^ 

to 

"a 
a 


2: 

o 


a: 
'^ 

a 
a 


o 


a: 

5 

to 

6 


a 
*^ 

to 


aj 
>^ 

"a 
a 


a: 


a: 
^-4 


a: 

as 


"a 



Size of 
Class 


Music (Chorus) 


0-4 












1 
1 


1 

1 

4 




1 

1 
1 

3 

1 


1 


2 
1 


■ • 
1 


1 








1 
1 


1 
1 

2 


3 
1 

2 

'2 
2 


'2 


2 


5-9 

10-14 

15-19 






1 




' 


"1" 

8 


20-24 






6 


25-29 

30-34 




4 
5 


35-39 








1 




5 


40-44 . . 








1 


45-49 

50- 


1 












2 
9 















Music 


(0 


rch 


estra) 




















0-4 






1 
1 




2 
3 

1 


1 


1 
1 


1 










3 




1 




1 
1 

1 

1 


1 
1 


1 




9 


5-9 






7 


10-14 

15-19 

20-24 


1 




3 
' 3 ' 


25-29 




2 


1 




3 


30-34 

35-39 

40-44 




1 
' 1 " 


45-49 

50- 

















licckkeeping 



0-4 




2 






2 
2 


1 


2 
2 




1 
2 
2 


'2 


1 

1 


'2 


1 


1 


1 


I 


3 




2 


i 
2 


2 


5-9 




15 


10-14 


1 


3 


1 




21 


15-19 




7 

1 


3 

1 


1 
1 


2 
1 


2 
1 


2 
3 


1 
1 


2 
2 


3 


2 










2 


1 
3 


1 
2 


2 

1 




31 


20-24 




17 


25-29 








1 




1 


1 




















3 


1 


5 


4 


17 


30-34 








4 




2 

1 


























'2 




6 


35-39 


1 






4 


40-44 












































45-49 










































1 


50- 













































117 













Table 


31 


—Continued 










































a: 














;.j 


<o 






















a: 


a: 


ctj 


^ 


5! 




T^ 


aj 


aj 


C' 


^ 


'~^ 








■^^ 


>--< 








^ 




=^ 


>--; 


^ 


>~i 


-~i 






^ 






a: 


^ 






o 




^ 
^ 


^ 
■^ 


•-i 


i-N 


^ 
^ 


l-H 


"o 








"& 


=^ 


e 





a 


't; 




~c: 

p 






50 
05 


o 


^ 






o 


o 
ro 


&. 


^ 




5 



i^ 


^S 





5 


y. 


:| 


X 


x 

-^ 


a: 


c 
^ 


Size of 
Class 


Stenography 




0- 4 . , . . 




2 
1 


1 


1 




1 

2 


2 


'2 


3 






1 


5 






2 


1 




1 

1 


1 


16 


5-9 




11 


10-14 


1 


2 


2 






2 


1 


1 


1 


1 














1 




2 


2 


16 


1&-19.. . 




3 
4 


1 
2 


1 
1 


1 

3 


1 


4 

1 




2 




2 












3 


3 

1 


5 

3 


1 


27 


20-24 


1 


16 


25-29 






1 


2 


1 
2 

1 


5 
1 

1 


1 




















1 




2 




10 


30-34 






4 


35-39 










3 


40-44 










1 


45-49 












50- 













































Typewriting 



0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 . . . 


1 
1 
2 
1 


4 


1 


1 

1 

1 
2 


1 

3 

1 
2 
1 








1 

3 
2 

1 


1 
1 

1 


3 
4 


1 
1 


1 

1 




, 


1 

1 


'2 
2 

1 


3 
1 

1 


'3 
4 


'2 


4 

7 

13 

19 

12 


2.5-29 








4 


30-34 








2 


35-39 










3 


40-44 










1 


45-49 

50- 













Cookery 



0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 

25-29 


1 
2 
2 
2 


2 
2 

7 


10 

6 
2 


'2 
2 
2 


'2 
4 


'2 

'2 

1 


6 
4 

2 


2 
'2 


2 
4 
2 


'2 
2 

1 






2 


' 


2 

2 


2 
2 


1 

7 
6 


'2 
2 


1 

5 
2 


2 
2 
6 


6 
25 
24 

47 
24 

2 


30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

50- 











118 













Table 


31 


C()NTI>frED 










































a: 














o 


O 
























s: 


>— .' 




ft: 












'^ 


»-j 






















a: 




" 


ii* 






S: 


•5; 


';- 


^ 


■^ 








^ 


►~< 








*-^ 




^ 


•-■^ 


--^ 


*-( 


►-< 




-« 


^ 


£ 


"-^ 


33 


a: 






o 

s 


2 


5u 


1— i 


1-; 

^ 


s 

03 


c 
CO 






a, 

o 






s 


l-J 


s 










o 

p 

a; 


1 



Size of 
Class 


















S 


eicing 






















0-4 






1 
1 
4 

4 


3 
2 
2 


2 

3 

2 


2 
3 
1 

3 
7 
3 
3 


6 
2 

2 


3 
4 


7 
7 
2 


1 
6 
1 
1 
2 


2 


2 
3 
3 


6 
1 


2 
2 


2 
4 


2 
2 


2 

7 
8 
1 


2 
4 


1 
5 

7 
8 


1 
9 
4 


18 


5-9 






22 


10-14 

1&-19 

20-24 

25-29 

30-34 


2 
4 
1 

1 


4 
4 
4 
1 


35 
71 
40 
12 
3 


35-39 




1 








1 


40-44 

45-49 

50- 







Agriculture 



0- 4. . . .. .. 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 


5 
3 








3 

1 


5 

1 




7 
1 






6 

6 

10 

5 




2 

1 






1 


1 
2 

2 


1 

1 






29 

15 

12 

9 


20-24 

25-29 

30-34 

35-39 

40-44 

45-49 

50- 























Manual and 


Industrial 


/Ir^s 
















0-4 






4 
1 


6 


1 
1 


2 
10 






1 


3 

8 


5 


2 


1 
1 






1 
4 


2 

7 


1 


5 




14 


&- 9 


1 


4 


57 


10-14 


2 


11 


3 


2 


4 


6 


4 


2 


12 


1 


1 




2 








18 




11 


3 


82 


15-19 


4 


7 


6 


2 


6 


10 


6 


6 


7 


4 


3 












12 


5 


p 


8 


91 


20-24 


2 


5 


2 


7 


4 


2 


5 


4 




2 














2 


2 


15 


3 


55 


25-29 


4 










2 


1 


2 




1 


















10 


4 


24 


30-34 












































35-39 








































J 


1 


40-44 












































45-49 












































50- 













































119 



Table 31 — Continued 



!Size of 
Cla.is 


Athletics 


0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

15-19 

20-24 

2.5-29 

30-34 

3.5-39 

40-44 

4.5-49 

50- 












. 
















. . 


2 


1 

1 

1 

1 


1 
3 
3 

1 

1 


' 


4 


1 

3 

1 


2 
6 
4 
7 
1 
1 
1 
2 















Physical 


Training 




















0-4 






1 
1 
3 


1 


1 
1 
2 


1 


3 


1 

5 


2 


1 


1 
2 










2 


2 


1 


1 

1 




4 


.5-9 






5 


10-14 


1 




25 


1.5-19 


1 


4 


2 




5 


1 


3 


3 


3 




2 


1 








2 


3 


3 


2 




35 


20-24 


3 


4 


2 


1 




5 


1 




2 




1 










3 


3 


1 


4 




30 


2.5-29 






1 

1 


2 


3 
1 


2 

1 


1 
2 


1 


i 




1 


2 








4 
2 


4 
3 


2 


2 
1 




19 


30-34 


2 


2 


22 


3.5-39 




1 
1 


1 


1 




2 

2 


1 




3 
2 














2 
4 


1 


8 
] 


1 




19 


40-44 


2 


14 


4.5-49 .... 






1 


2 


2 


2 


1 


















2 

5 


5 


1 
2 


2 




8 


50- 






17 



























Physi 


jlogy 


and Hygiene 
















0-4 

5-9 

10-14 

1,5-19 

20-24 

25-29 


2 
1 
1 


1 

1 
3 


1 
1 
1 


1 
2 


2 


1 

1 

1 


2 
2 


1 

1 

i 


1 

2 
2 
2 


1 

1 






• • 




2 




1 

3 

1 
1 

1 
1 


1 

1 
2 

1 

1 


1 
4 
1 




4 

6 

9 

10 

8 


30-34 

3.5-39 


1 


11 
5 


40-44 

45-49 






4 
2 


.50- 















120 



Tahlk ;31 — CoN'TiM i;i) 

























i: 














;J 


s^ 




















5r 






3: 












«»j 


•«} 


o 
-s 

05 








a: 






5-. 


5; 






4- 
s 




s 
-2 


s 

a: 


5 


5 






5 
"S 

a: 






aize oj 
Class 


Supercision of Study Hall 


0-4 










1 

1 
1 


13 

15 

3 


1 
1 


2 

1 
3 


2 
2 
2 






1 

1 


















19 


.5-9 






2 

1 




22 


10-14 


2 


1 


16 


15-19 


3 




3 




7 


4 




2 


2 
























21 


20-24 


2 




4 




5 


9 


7 


4 


5 
























36 


2.5-29 


6 




4 




3 


10 


2 


8 


5 




















2 




40 


30-34 


7 




13 




6 


7 


6 


10 


6 






















1 


57 


3,5-39 


4 




4 




6 


10 


6 


4 


4 
























38 


40-44 






2 
1 




3 


4 
3 
2 


2 




2 
5 
















4 






15 


11 


45-49 






6 


.50- 






26 

















Table 30 sliows that the median size of chisses varied from 5 
to 9 in orchestra work, from '25 to '29 in arithmetic, geography, 
history and chorus music. This variation is but natural in 
view of the fact that relatively few students can be cared for at 
a single time in orchestra work, and also relatively few students 
care to take this type of work as compared with the large number 
of studentswho enroll in classes in the other subjects. 

In aritlimetic, which includes household arithmetic, the 
Berendo Street Intermediate School operated two classes of 
fifteen to nineteen students; three from twenty to twenty-four; 
one to thirty-four students; two to forty-four students and one 
forty-five to forty-nine students. Boyle Heights and San Pedro 
each operate one class with a registration of four or less. A 
reference to the right-hand column of the table indicates that 
the city has operated two arithmetic classes with four or less 
students; one with five to nine students; seven with ten to 
fourteen students, etc. 

As it has been the announced policy to discourage classes en- 
rolling fewer than fifteen students, it is somewhat surprising to 
find the large number of classes enrolling fewer than that number. 
These small classes are found not only in the case of cooking, 
manual training, sewing and similar subjects, but they are also 

121 



found in English, mathematics and history courses. Inasmuch 
as certain subjects are required, such as EngKsh, it seems highly 
probable that an administrative re-organization might be ef- 
fected by the principals, making it possible to increase the size 
of the small classes and at the same time reduce the size of some 
of the larger classes. 

It is to be expected that there will be small classes in the small 
outlying districts; it is a fact also that there are a good many 
small classes in the larger intermediate schools. In analyzing 
these data one cannot help feeling that there are great possibili- 
ties for improving this condition by reorganizing these schools 
in such a way as to eliminate a large number of classes with 
low enrollment. This does not necessarily mean that small 
classes should be arbitrarily cut out without giving due considera- 
tion to the points at issue in each particular case. Nevertheless, 
it will become imperative, sooner or later, to have some limit 
fixed in regard to the minimum size of classes. This will be 
found desirable not only from the standpoint of economy but 
also from the standpoint of the pupil. There is surely a lower 
limit for the size of classes beyond which the opportunities for 
reciprocal stimulation on the part of the children are reduced 
to the minimum. 

Further analysis of the reports indicates that there are many 
instances where teachers have organized small classes in ad- 
dition to their regularly assigned work. For example, a standard 
number of "periods" per day in the intermediate schools is 6. 
Not a few teachers were engaged for 7 periods. For the most 
part, these extra periods were devoted to individual help and 
reported under terms of "Individual help," "Coaching and 
Latin," "Hall and Yard duty," "Office work," "Chorus," etc. 

These evidences of a disposition on the part of teacher to 
care voluntarily for extra groups are in every way commendable 
and to be encouraged. Los Angeles is fortunate in having so 
many teachers in the high and intermediate schools who do 
this. 

From the nature of the data available, your committee has 
been unable to sharply differentiate all of these classes of extra 
activities from the regularly assigned duties. This situation 
emphasizes the need which your committee expressed elsewhere 
in this report of an accurate system of consistent records that 
will make it possible to explain all of the factors involved. A 
Division of Research should organize inquiries and establish 
facts relative to these conditions. Many of these classes have 
been established in response to the desires of children for a wide 
range of electives. Many of them are necessary because of the 
small enrollment in certain schools. Nevertheless, the fact that 

122 



there are 150 classes in English registering fewer than 15 students 
indicates that other issues are involved than elective courses and 
the policy of maintaining high schools in the outlying districts. 

Your Committee does not pretend to pass judgment on this 
method of organization. If it is found that fifteen is an unsatis- 
factory minimum another standard should be established. 
After this standard is set a somewhat rigid enforcement of the 
number should be required in all of the larger schools. So long as 
the schools are continued in the outlying districts it will be 
necessary to maintain small classes, unless a radical change is 
made in the curriculum of such schools. Even then a certain 
number of small classes would be inevitable. 

However, it is recommended that a Bureau of Research be 
charged with the responsibility of the evaluation of this policy 
wdth the hope of ultimately establishing optimum standards for 
size of classes in the different subjects. Other discussions of the 
need for these standards appear elsewhere in this report. 

This analysis is not to be considered as a criticism of the 
administration of education in Los Angeles. It is simply a 
statement of facts which indicates an unusual situation and 
should be continued or changed only after a most elaborate 
analysis of conditions. As it stands, it challenges the attention 
of the educational administration. 

The following form was used in gathering this information: 



123 



Table S'i: Showing Form Used by the Board ok Education in Re- 
questing Teachers to State Schedule of Work of Each Ft)R 
School Week Ending January 28, 1916 















// the class 














ivas m 












If a por- 


charge of 












tion of th( 


another 












class are 


teacher. 




Give 








absent 


state how 




time 






\o. of 


state when 


your time 




in 


Class 




pupils in 


they were. 


tvas em- 


Pcrindu 


min- 


taught by 


Subject 


actual at- 


hotv em- 


ployed. If 




utes 


whom 




tendance 


ployed. 


in charge 




each 






each 


and in 


of pupils 




per- 






period 


charge of 


state No. 




iod 








what 
teacher 


of pupils 

and nature 

of work 

done 


Monday 














1st Per. 


20 

43 
43 
43 


•lohn Doe 


Classroom 

study 

A7 History 
B8 English 
A9 English 

Lunch 

Supervised 


32 
24 
23 
11 






2nd " 






3rd " 






4th " 






5th " 


43 
43 


" " 






Lunch 


6th " 












girls yard 


229 apprx. 






7th " 


43 


*' '* 






Corrected 








. 


A9 book rp. 


8th " 


42 




Supervised 
study. 
Helps in 
Algebra 
English 


41 


) Mechani- 
cal drawing 
rt'ith Jane 
Doe 




9th •' 


43 
37 


ii (1 


A7 History 
A7 History 
Roll Call .' . 


36 

28 






10th " , 






nth " 


5 


" " 


32 






12th " 






13th " 














14th " 














15th " 















Th.> schedule called for similar information for each day of that week. 



124 



VII 

JUNIOR ( OLLEGES 

1. Distribution in Los Ancjeles 

At the present time the records indicate thai junior colleges 
are in operation in three high schools, viz: Los Angeles, Poly- 
technic and Hollywood. In addition to these recognized junior 
colleges, post graduate courses are offered in seven other schools. 
The Auditor's office is unal)le to tell the j)er capita cost of instruc- 
tion in these schools. 

As the enrollment in junior college and post graduate students 
is large, it is evident that the parents of the children in these high 
schools are anxious to have tlris type of work offered. Indeed, 
in one high school, some work is offered in the third year college 
work. In all j)ro]>ability, in at least two of the high schools, the 
community will ultimately demand a three or four year cour.se. 
This is in line with the development elsewhere. The Board 
should rtx^ognize very clearly that they will have to face, within 
a comparatively short time, a demand for a four-year collegiate 
course. Cincinnati and New York Citj' maintain city colleges. 

The students in the Polytechnic High School who are taking 
junior college work seem to be anxious to get out to work as soon 
as they have com})leted the two-year course. The principal of 
this school reported that in his judgment there will not be a 
strong deni'and for an institution of this type of work beyond 
the present two-year standard. The princii)als of some of the 
other schools have already felt pressure from their jjatrons 
demanding more college training. 

In general, it is our judgment that additional junior colleges 
should not be established. Rather, an attempt should l)e made 
to co-ordinate the junior course already offered in the different 
high schools into one strong junior college. The distance is to be 
reckoned with, but, in view of the age of the student, and the 
facilities of transjjortation which the city of Los Angeles affords, 
this should be no barrier. 

The isolation of the college work within a single institution 
would make it possible for the institution to foster a certain 
amount of college si)irit and group ideals. The estal)lishment of 
the office of Dean of the junior college is an expression of this 
need on the part of the high school at the i)resent time. 

]?.5 



2. Growth in Enrollmelt 

Table 33: Showing the Growth in Enrollment of Junior Colleges 
IN the Los Angeles High Schools 
Total Enrollment 



1912-13 1913-14 1914-15 

Hollywood High ... 61 

Los Angeles High 165 209 

Polytechnic High Counted as P. G.'s. 

Average Daily Attendance 

1912-13 1913-14 

Hollywood High ... 43 65 Apprx. 

Los Angeles High 97 158 250 

Polytechnic High Counted as P. G.'s 



82 
302 



1914-15 



It is interesting to note that compared with total enrollment 
the average daily attendance is relatively low for these students. 

In addition to student registration in the junior colleges, it 
has been the practice to register certain students as post graduate 
students. The table below shows this enrollment for the past 
few years. 

Table 34: Showing Growth in Enrollment in Number of Post 
Graduate Students in the Los Angeles High Schools 

TOTAL enrollment 





1910-11 


1911-12 


1912-13 


1913-14 


1914-15 


Gardena High 










3 


Hollywood High. . . . 


4 


16 


si 






Lincoln High 










15 


Los Angeles High. . . 


46 


51 








Manual Arts High . . 








112 


151 








(only from Feb. to June) 


Polytechnic High. . . 


55 


91 


130 


160 


172 


San Fernando 


1 




3 


7 


5 




average 


daily attendance 








1910-11 


1911-12 


1912-13 


1913-14 


1914-15 


Gardena Agri. High. * 










1 


Hollywood High .... 


2 


7 


30 




(Approx.) 


Los Angeles High. . . 


18 


21 








Lincoln High 










ii 


Manual Arts High . . 








4} 


95 








(only from Feb. to June) 


Polytechnic High . . . 


33 


51 


64 


74 


70 


San Fernando High. 






1 


4 


3 
Approx. 



*No record kept at the schools; have always been counted as 12th-year pupils in reports to 
state. 

126 



3. Recommendations 
The Committee recommends: 

1: That uo more junior colleges be established at the 
present time. 

2: That the possibility of co-ordination of all the junior 
colleges into one city college is worthy of serious 
consideration on the part of the Board. 



127 



Mil 

EVENING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 

1. Scope of xVctivities 

The first evening schools were estabhshed for those who had 
been denied or had neglected opport unites for elementary 
instruction during earlier years. The next development was 
the establishment of evening high schools which afforded am- 
bitious and studious men and women means of increasing their 
knowledge, skill and earning capacity. The third step in even- 
ing instruction was necessitated by the rapidly growing foreign 
population in American communities. These schools were 
originally conceived in a ])hilanthropic spirit. It was not long, 
hoAvever, before thinking citizens perceived that they wei'e as 
necessary for the community as for the foreigner. The tremen- 
dous problem presented by the successi\'e waves of immigration, 
made uj) of those who were strangers not only to our language, 
but to our social and political institutions as well, compelled 
some method of solution. It was natural that this task should 
be assigned to the schools, which, however imperfectly, have yet 
contributed more to the solution of this pro])lem than any other 
agency, public or private. 

Since the establishment of these activities, many others have 
been added. Los Angeles in this respect resembles other Amer- 
ican cities, large and small. 

The multiplication of these activities has been furthered by 
the disposition to use the school plant to the maximum. It has 
seemed a proper and obvious thing that buildings which so 
peculiarly belong to the people should be open to it to the greatest 
I)OSsible extent. The sentiment finds expression in the present 
State Law. 

Therefore it haj^pens that in pul)lic schools almost every type 
of evening activity has been developed. Shops, kitchens, sewing 
rooms, auditoriums, gymnasiums, playgrounds, have all been 
freely employed. 

One problem that has arisen in the development of the evening 
school activities is that of pro]:er organization. For a long time 
evening activities escaped the usual demands imijosed on the 
organization of the day schools. Th^ c are and thought given to 
the certification and training of teachers, the need of making 
accurate records and rejjorts, the necessity of checking the rela- 
tive values of dift'erent types of work j erformed — all these, as a 
rule, have been disregarded or perfunctorily treated in evening 
school organization. Evening instruction was conceived, and 
in many places is yet conceiA'ed, as a sort of unregulated sub- 
sidiary Xyye of educational effort, needing little real supervision. 

128 



'i. TiiK Piioni.K.Ar OF Cost 

The second prohlein is one of cost. So long as evening schools 
were few in juimher, or were limited, they were considered pleas- 
ing ventures with a certain sentimental vahie. Now that they 
have been extended to their j)resent size and number, the cost of 
financing them has become noticeable and in some cases heavy. 
The rapid increase in cost in Los Angeles is shown in Table 6. 
It is probably true that if the money is wisely expended, even if 
the amount be large, the educational dividend will be corres- 
pondingly high. 

No one will question that even a poorly organized evening 
school does considerable good. No one familiar with the facts 
can doubt that the conduct of even well organized evening schools 
involves a large waste of eflFort and money, due to irregular and 
infrequent attendance. 

Furthermore, the indefinite i)ossibilities of extension, especial- 
ly when the school is in charge of an aggressive principal, do 
multiply cost. It is a correct attitude for a principal to assume 
when he states that he wishes to see his evening school give 
maximum service. A school can become a convenient branch 
for a city library; therefore a teacher is selected as a branch 
librarian. A group of young people need recreation under direct 
and proper conditions; therefore a social club with a leader is 
selected. Some parents cannot leave their little ones at home; 
therefore a nursery is started. Adolescent boys are better off 
in a playground under competent leadership; therefore a gymnas- 
tic teacher or playground leader should be added. Children 
in miserable homes should have a place to play games, or prac- 
tise primary manual arts; therefore a teacher is appointed to 
supervise the activity. It is not unnatural that the ease with 
which any sort of activity can be put into operation may result 
in establishing facilities not always worth continuing. 

No argument is needed to prove that many of these activities 
are beneficial. They may yet become the most valuable features 
of the evening school. 

Because this multiplication of activities increases cost rapidly, 
waste must be reduced and extravagance avoided. First, a city 
should pay for instruction for those who need instruction, not 
as a matter of philanthropy, or sentiment, but for the salvation 
of the state. Secondly, a city should open the school to the 
neighborhood, not only because the law permits it, but be- 
cause the development of community sentiment is good for the 
state. The law states that these communities must be super- 
vised. If the city must pay for this supervision — and that seems 
to be the legal condition — then the Board must have a policy. 

129 



A budget should be prepared and the demands set forth. There 
should be discretion shown in the method of expenditure so 
that whatever gives the greatest values should have the widest 
extension. It would be well, no doubt, if a department of 
education could do everything everywhere. The facts are, it 
cannot. Then it should, through the suggestion of its super- 
visory officers, discriminate between the various activities so 
that those most generously attended will receive more than a 
meagre allowance. 

The application of these principles may be discussed with 
reference to each of the different departments of the Los Angeles 
evening elementary schools. 

These may be divided as follows: 

ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENGLISH SPEAKING PEOPLE 
OF NEGLECTED EDUCATION OR FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH WORK 
PERMITS. 

instruction in english to english speaking foreigners 
and to those preparing to take citizen papers (foreign 
and citizen classes.) 

classes in commercial subjects. 

classes in manual and domestic arts, shop and cooking 
and weaving. 

ci;asses for physical developmelt; gymnasiums and 
playgrouds. 

classes for social recreation, games, dancing. 

3. Elementary Instruction for English Speaking Pupils 

Fourteen classes were observed during a fortnight. The 
difficulty of grading pupils requires a method of grouping and of 
instruction largely individual. There was a great deal of busy 
work, much of it of a character that would occupy the time of 
pupils rather than contribute to their progress. The teaching 
of these pupils 'n the elementary grades was generally more 
competent than that shown in the teaching of foreigners; the 
problem is better Understood by teachers. 

Many of the "work permit" pupils were obviously too fatigued 
to give any sustained attention, but that is a condition teachers 
cannot control. The compulsory attendance of children in 
evening classes for instruction after a day of labor is not in 
accord with the best current opinion. Much of the legislation 
originally adopted was initiated by an excellent philanthropic 
motive, but it is generally condemned as unsuitable for children 
who need rest and rational recreation after working hours. 

So long as the state requires the attendance of boys and girls 
under IG at evening school, the city can exercise no dis- 

130 



cretion. It would be wise if Calif ornia would enact legislation 
similar to that of Wisconsin, which requires that such persons 
when employed should attend school a minimum number of 
hours per week between 8 A. M. and 6 P. M. If compulsory 
legislation of this kind seems inadvisable, then discretionary 
legislation permitting cities to require day attendance for a 
minimum number of hours per week in day schools could be 
substituted. Such permissive legislation has been adopted in 
New York State. 

4. The Instruction of Foreigners 
(a) those learning english 

Compared with the mill towns of New England, or the manu- 
facturing towns of Pennsylvania, or some of the cities of the East, 
it cannot be said that Los Angeles has a formidable foreign 
problem. This, however, is additional reason why Los Angeles 
should provide for the instruction of the foreigners it now has. 
Apparently twenty per cent, of the present population were born 
in countries in which English is not the current language. It is 
impossible to state how many of these persons cannot speak 
English, but the number is sufficient to require attention. The 
problem should be met now, when it is possible to do so. 

Instruction in English, though of primary importance, should 
not constitute the whole of instruction. Quite apart from the 
preparation involved in the training of citizens for naturaliza- 
tion, a course for foreigners should include instruction in civics. 
This means not only knowledge of the organization of our national 
government, but also of local conditions, social and political. 
Whether the foreign resident be a citizen, or not, it is neces- 
sary for the city itself, as well as for him, that he understand 
what the city requires of all its people as to manners, conditions 
of living, and observance of laws and social standards. 

Instruction in English to foreigners is a highly specialized 
process. Normal school training for teachers intending to 
teach in the elementary grades is a most inadequate preparation. 
Even though under such conditions an occasional Normal 
graduate will develop extraordinary ability, dependence on this 
fact is a very uncertain method of providing teachers. 

The employment of day school teachers in evening schools 
is referred to elsewhere. It may be stated now that, if com- 
petent teachers have to be withdrawn from evening schools for 
reasan however good, they should be replaced by other teachers 
equally competent or more competent. 

In observing the actual work of twenty-five teachers of Eng- 
lish to foreigners, the conclusion has been reached that only a 

131 



minority of the teachers were famiUar with the technique of 
the work. When it was pointed out that many of the relations 
and questions were too difficult or highly unsuitable, the answer 
of four teachers was that the foreigner liked something hard — 
something beyond him, and unless this desire was satisfied he 
would not stay. Yet, if the figures of attendance be counted, it 
will be noted that there is abundant evidence that the majority 
of the pupils had already departed. 

The grading was poor, although that condition seemed to be 
the result of the very small attendance. The average attend- 
ance of the classes at the time observed was less than ten. This, 
of course, may have been increased at some other time during 
the evening. 

There are at present no facilities in Los Angeles for instructing 
teachers in proper methods for teaching English to foreigners, 
although such methods exist and may be definitely demonstrated. 
The Committee recommends that, pending some other organ- 
ization, the five most successful teachers w^ho have made some 
study of the subject be invited to start normal classes for ten 
successive Saturday evenings for those who intend to teach 
non-English speaking foreigners. At least five of these lessons 
should be demonstration lessons with actual classes. Attendance 
might be required as a condition of appointment, or it could be 
voluntary. The cost of these normal classes at $5.00 per teacher 
per evening would not be more than $250 for the year. 

The committee also recommends, when sufficient time shall 
have elapsed, that teachers of foreigners be selected after special 
examinations not only in methods but in civics, and the method 
of teaching civics. A new method of selection like this cannot 
be accomplished immediately, but it should be begun. 

(b) THOSE IN CITIZENSHIP CLASSES 

There were ten citizenship classes in session in the elementary 
evening schools. They were made up of foreigners familiar 
wdth English. In some cases the classes were made up of stud- 
ents preparing for the final examination for citizenship papers. 

There seems to be unnecessary duplication of this special type 
of work for the following reasons: in the Los Angeles Evening 
High School there is an organized plan for naturalization 
classes. All but four of the citizenship classes in elementary 
schools are established within a mile of the high school. Their 
average attendance on the night of visitation was less than nine. 

The fault is not merely one of unnecessary duplication. Dupli- 
cation in this case is bad for instruction. In the Los Angeles 
Evening High School the work is in charge of a teacher especially 

132 



assigned to it, on an allowance of 30 hours per week. Ten 
hours are spent on teaching, twenty hours in day assignments 
related to the work of naturalization. As a result more pupils 
are taught, and probably better taught, so that the apparently 
increased cost at the time of the visit is more than compensated 
for by increased attendance. It would be better if so much of 
the instruction in "citizenship" as involved "Preparation for 
uaturalization" in the elementary evening school could be 
centralized in fewer schools so as to be of maximum value to 
those who attend. The argument of distance between homes 
and school does not seem pertinent when the residences of some 
of those who now attend the Los Angeles Evening High School 
course is considered. This committee has not had opportunity 
to examine the character of work done. There is no question 
that the Los Angeles Evening High School center was well 
organized. As a rule the evening elementary school centers 
were not. 

There is undoubtedly a place in the elementary evening schools 
for some of the pupils now in citizenship classes. The work 
in the Los Angeles high school citizenship classes is not adapted 
to them. These i)upils really need additional instruction in 
English and in elementary branches. A new organization should 
be created by which the larger number of foreigners could be 
distributed in as many schools as are needed, subject to con- 
ditions of proper grading. The smaller number should be 
centered in fewer schools where they can ])e better taught and 
where a better system of grading can be worked out. A course 
for first year foreigners is a different thing from a course for 
foreigners who already have a considerable knowledge of English. 

Almost the only conception of a method of teaching foreigners 
that teachers in the elementary evening schools have employed 
is "individual instruction". Individual instruction is itself 
an excellent thing, but it should not be employed as a mere 
formula. There are successful methods of instruction for 
foreigners which experience has discovered and which are psychol- 
ogically sound. They can be applied to larger numbers in the 
early part of the year. If so applied there would probably not 
be such a tremendous drop in attendance. 

5. Cla.sses in Commercial Sub.iects 

There were six of these classes in the eveniug schools. They 
embrace one or more of the following sul:>jects: book-keeping, 
penmanship, typewriting, stenography. Three of the classes 
had a satisfactory attendance of from 15 to 16. The favorite 
subject is stenography. In this subject only a minority of the 
students attended long enough to get any real good from the 

153 



subject. The lack of an adequate record of evening school 
activities makes it impossible to state what benefit accrues to 
pupils in those schools where commercial subjects, especially 
stenography, are taught. The teaching was competent and the 
students who remained long enough were undoubtedly benefitted. 
Unless distance is absolutely prohibitive, it would be better for 
the students' sake to center such activities in the high schools. 
If distance is too great, a definite number of centers, probably 
three, could be established and proper equipment provided. 
At the present time in some of the evening elementary schools 
neither the furniture nor equipment desirable for commercial 
instruction is available. For example, the number of typewrit- 
ers in some evening schools is quite insufficient. If collected 
and placed in fewer centers, better classes could be organized. 
An attempt is now made in several commercial classes to teach 
several commercial subjects in a class by groups, apparently to 
keep up a sufficient registration. 

6. Classes in the Manual and Domestic Arts, Shop Train- 
ing, Sewing, Dressmaking and Cookery 

The number of classes observed was : 5 in sewing, 3 in cooking, 
1 in millinery, 2 in basketry and weaving and 6 in sloyd. The 
largest class in cookery (19) was made up of girls attending day 
elementary school. The millinery class, like all the classes 
observed in the particular school in which this instruction was 
being given, was exceptionally good, with an attendance of 20. 
The other 7 classes engaged in various occupations had an at- 
tendance of 10 or less, the average attendance being 6. The 
6 sloyd rooms were attended by 76 pupils of whom all but 16 
were day school boys. The average attendance was 11. One 
shop had no lumber and three pupils. It was not clear why, 
under the circumstances, this class might not have been sus- 
pended until lumber was available. 

The classes in manual subjects, except in sloyd, and the parti- 
cular exceptions referred to, were disappointing in the volume 
of attendance. Classes like these are generally well attended. 
When attendance falls so low, it seems quite useless to try to 
continue them. There was no evidence, however, that the causes 
for the poor attendance could be attributed to the teachers; 
they showed a great interest in their work and in students present. 

7. Classes for Physical Development 

These included playgrounds and gymnastics. On one play- 
ground 24 persons were present. At another a considerable 
crowd, probably 50, was watching a basket-ball contest. The 

134 



attendance at other playj- rounds was 5, 10, IG, 24. These 
figures may seem much or little. There is no real method of 
counting attendance in phiyground activities, since the hoys 
come and go and the number alternates constantly. It can 
only be affirmed that at the time a member of the Committee 
visited their classes there seemed to be no sign of the interest 
and activity that might naturally be expected, except in two 
playgrounds. The gymnasiums average 13 in attendance. 

8. Classes for Social Recreation, Games, 
AND Dancing 

The California law conceives the school to be a civic center. 
In the same building are housed classes for adults, for children 
and for dancing and games. That the schoolhouse should be a 
neighborhood club or civic center for the families of the district, 
adults and children, is an excellent ideal. 

It may be stated that the conception was being well realized 
in two schools. In a third the paucity of numbers suggested 
that the social phase of school organization played little part, 
if any, in the life of the neighborhood. In the fourth school, 
the dance was poorly conducted; a tactful supervisor was badly 
needed. The school which gave the deepest impression of service 
and interesting work, had no social club at all, though there was 
a well conducted playground. This is, however, not an argu- 
ment against the social center. Had the same principal had 
social activities in her school, they would probably have been 
excellent. 

The state law requires that social centers shall be supervised. 
Successful supervision of social activities is a rare gift. The 
supervisor needs to be active, yet not officiously so. Her at- 
titude should not be one of indifference, nor should it suggest 
the watchman or police officer. The position of supervisor 
requires a sympathetic understanding of people, and it ab- 
solutely requires a thorough knowledge of the neighborhood. The 
Committee believes that the development of the social center is 
a movement to be encouraged. It cannot be properly developed 
by assigning a person for two or three evenings a week, who 
does not know the people. 

It is possible to organize a civic community center from anoth- 
er standpoint; one that would be purely democratic, self-con- 
trolled and self-supporting. Apparently the law does not 
contemplate such a system. If the social life in the school is to 
be regulated by a teacher, it requires a different method from 
that which now prevails. Her assignment should make it 
possible for her to give more time. 

135 



9. Miscellaneous Activities 

To care for the children of those parents who must accompany 
them, one school maintains an evening nursery for those who 
attend the classes. No record was made of the attendance. 
No criticism can be made of a nursery, if it is the policy of the 
Board to establish a nursery as part of the activities of a neigh- 
borhood school. No other nursery was found in the evening 
elementary schools, although the classes of adults were as numer- 
ous and averaged higher in attendance in schools that had no 
nursery attached. This raises the question of whether the 
nursery in evening schools is necessary, and, if necessary, why 
it should not be extended. 

In another school there was a librarian who acted as a dis- 
tributor of a branch library. The advantage, as stated, was 
that parents who took the books from the school did not have 
to pay a fine if books were kept too long, whereas they would 
have to pay a fine if they took the books directly from the library. 
During the month the librarian had distributed 1G3 books. 
The Committee makes no recommendation. If the policy of 
the Board of Education, with respect to the evening schools, 
includes the employment of one librarian in a single school, to 
act as a distributor and advisor in the circulation of books, 
there is no question but that this librarian is excellently qualified 
for the work. 

There were in the elementary evening schools three classes in 
Spanish, and within a mile of these two schools there wa.s an 
evening high school class giving instruction in the same subject. 
It should be observed that the teachers in the elmentary schools 
were as successful and as competent as those in the evening high 
schools. But this does not explain the reason for duplication 
when all the classes were small. 

There were game rooms in six schools, one of the schools had 
two game rooms. They usually have a good attendance, those 
present being, as a rule, children of school age, or younger. 
The minimum attendance was 5 in one school, and the maximum 
28 in another. 



136 



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137 



IX 
THE EVENING HIGH SCHOOLS 

The four evening high schools were visited. Polytechnic, Los 
Angeles, Wilmington and San Pedro. In the last named no 
evening high school class was in session at the time of the visit. 

The policy of the evening high schools of the city is so broad 
and extensive, both as to subjects taught and students enrolled, 
that it is difficult to make any recommendation. 

The number of subjects is so varied, that a simple classification 
only seems necessary, — ^high school subjects, occupations in- 
cluding gymnastics, and elementary subjects. It must of course 
be understood that the name "evening high school" is somewhat 
inaccurate. No qualification is made as to students; they may 
be day workers, or boys and girls attending day high school 
and in some cases, day elementary schools. The subjects may 
be high school subjects or they may not be. The reason for 
terming these schools evening high schools is apparently, that 
the buildings in which the evening sessions are held are high 
school buildings during the day, and that the teachers who hap- 
pen to be employed in them are paid at a rate accordingly, no 
matter what they teach or whom they teach. This at least is 
the case in the larger evening high schools. 

This statement is not to be construed as a criticism but only 
as a statement of fact, so that the expression "evening high 
school" may be clearly understood. It is probable that the 
teaching in evening high schools is better for the reason that 
the attendance is higher and because being better paid it will 
attract a better type of teacher. This is true in the main, even 
though some individual teachers in the evening elementary 
schools may be better than some individual teachers in evening 
high schools. 

It is pertinent to compare the Los Angeles policy with policies 
prevailing in some other cities, such, for example, as those in 
Boston and in New York. Taking the latter as a type, because 
it is by far the largest and eldest of evening school systems, the 
differences that prevail in the policy and organization with those 
of Los Angeles will be interesting. 

In the New York evening high schools no students are admitted 
who are not entitled to enter a regular high school, or who cannot 
prove the equivalent of elementary school graduation. This 
does not apply to trade classes, though, as a rule, evening in- 
struction in trades is housed in separate buildings. In the trade 
classes those who have no trade affiliations, who wish simply to 
be handy with tools, are not admitted. Apprentices are en- 
couraged since it is believed (and this belief is universal among 
students of industrial education) that public evening trade 
classes, — machine working, applied electricity, plumbing, print- 

138 



ing and certain women's trades, should be established to train 
apprentices to become skilled trade workers. The state of 
New York allows no funds to classes in the trades unless those 
present are actual trade workers. 

There are special classes for working boys who are compelled 
to attend evening schools but these are in elementary schools 
only. In no case is a boy or girl attending day school permitted 
to attend an evening school. The wisdom of this regulation 
may be questioned. It must be remembered, however, that 
there is provision for day pupils in the community, social and 
recreation centers and in the study rooms conducted during the 
evening. 

Respecting the question of teaching the same subject in 
elementary and in evening high schools, the practice is to separate 
them definitely. Women's occupations, such as cooking, sew- 
ing and dressmaking, millinery and embroidery, are placed in 
elementary schools only. In the few cases in which these are 
actual trade subjects they are taught as such in high or trade 
schools. Trade instruction follows a fixed sequence of steps. 
The teachers are expert workmen. The conditions are trade 
conditions. Trade classes are not concerned in aiding the pupils 
to supply their needs for clothing or home necessities, whereas 
this is encouraged in elementary classes in women's occupations. 

Conditions affecting teachers are different. There are eligible 
lists for evening high school teachers and the examinations are 
severe. Each teacher is appointed from a list in order of 
standing and no variations are allowed. Trade teachers, men 
or women, must not only pass examinations, but must be expert 
workmen and must give evidence of such expertness not only 
by credentials but by actual performance. The pay of all 
evening school principals and teachers is $2 per evening more in 
New York than in Los Angeles, except evening elementary 
teachers, who receive $1 more. The work of each teacher and 
principal is reported upon annually, and those whose work is 
not good are not reappointed; if they are day school teachers, 
thej'^ must have a similar record for day school service. 

As this Committee has already pointed out, the practice in 
other places does not imply that similar practices are suitable* 
here. Los Angeles, like every place, should be familiar with 
what others are doing, and it must then decide its policy for itself. 
In the establishment of its evening high schools, Los Angeles 
does have a policy. That policy is to open high school buildings 
in the evening to everyone, for anything he wishes, so long as 
he cares to follow it or study it, and provided onlj' that the 
equipment is available, that teachers may be found, that there 
are sufficient pupils to form a class. It is a very broad policy 
indeed — and a very generous one. 

139 



SOME ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS AND COMMENTS 

L x\ttendance in Evening Elementary Schools 

A table is presented showing the number of classes and ses- 
sions, and occasional visits made during the first two weeks of 
May to the evening elementary schools. Counting all the pupils 
observed, whether attendants at day school or not, or on the 
playground, there were but three classes out of a total of thirteen 
which averaged fifteen per teacher. Of those who were observed 
in the evening schools, less than 80% were made up of persons 
who did not also attend day school. The total number o pupils 
who were observed in all the evening schools in this city at the 
time of visit was 1175. For 94 classes this average of 12 for all 
pupils would be a bad showing under any circumstances, but 
too many inferences should not be made from it. It may be 
that at the time of visitation there were extraordinary occasions 
or reasons for this low attendance. It is undoubtedly true that 
attendance in all evening school systems always tends to be 
reduced towards the end of the season. Since evening schools 
must be open in California for the whole year, the reduction 
through the month of May would be approximately greater in 
Los Angeles than cities outside of the State in whicla evening 
school sessions end in April and March. 

Again, although attendance does indicate a great deal, and 
although a good teacher is apt to have a high rate of attendance, 
it sti 1 remains true that the quality of the attendance is more 
important that the average. Thus, a few pupils attending 
throughout the year would mean more for instruction than 50 
pupils attending at the beginning of the year, and coming and 
going as the sessions advanced, so that every few weeks only a 
small number of the original membership remained. The pre- 
sent method of keeping records for the evening elementary 
school shows little but the bare facts of attendance. There is no 
way of determin ng which subjects have a constant attendance 
of the same group of pupils, or even of learning how many people 
attend the evening school within a stated period of time, e. g., 
for 10 nights or less, 10 to 20 nights, 20 to 30 nights, etc. 

2. Divisions and Semesters 

In evening elementary school the school year should be divided 
into two or three semesters. A vigorous publicity campaign 
should precede the opening of each semester so that those who 
may be unaware of the facilities offered may attend when the 
semester has opened. After the semester has begun, all publi- 

140 



cily sliould he dropped iiiilil I he next sdiieslor wlioii measures 
should l)e takeu to notify the puhlie. 'I'lie constant drojipiuf; in 
and out of i)upils may not he evident in the fif»;ures of attendance 
hut it is one which neutralizes any real earnest effort. 

If schools are to be established as evening centers, in what are 
termed neighborhood centers, some one j)eculiarly competent 
to direct such school should be selected. If the i)rincipal knows 
the neighborhood well (as she should) and if she is enthusiastic 
and able, her services shou d be obtained. They are too valu- 
able to lose. No rule for forbidding double service should be 
applied in the case of such persons. 

3. Attendance in Evening High Schools 

As has already been stated the attendance in evening high 
schools averages higher than in evening elementary schools. 
The method of computing attendance is bad. There are 
three periods per evening. The official attendance is at the 
second period. It is true that this method tends to show the 
maximum attendance; that it includes all the pupils who come 
later and all who leave early. It is not an accurate statement 
of attendance. 

If there are three periods of attendance there should be three 
records, and the evening attendance should be the average. 

4. Clerical Help 

The evening high schools should have sufficient clerical help to 
permit the presentation of all the figures. The Committee is 
unable to affirm, through lack of data, what additional clerical 
assistance, if any, is required. The need of more complete and 
more frequent records is patent. 

5. Attendance in All Types of Evening Schools 

('oncerning attendance generally the Committee suggests 
that principals should have discretion as to hours of opening 
and closing the sessions, without reducing the total period. In 
some of the evening schools there were teachers who had no 
pupils at the hour of opening or a considerable time thereafter. 
If the hour is too early it should be fixed at a later period. It 
may be stated with a fair degree of certainty that under the 
present method there are large numbers of teachers who had 
little or nothing to do during the first half hour of the session, 
when the evening schools were visited. 

The rapid reduction in enrollment suggests the need of better 
methods of school supervision. Principals should be warned 

141 



not to allow the classes to become overcrowded at the beginning 
of the session. When the number of admissions is fixed, ap- 
plicants should wait the formation of a new class. It does not 
add to the value of evening schools to permit them to be used 
merely at convenience. 

The record should be complete, and should give actual en- 
rollment and attendance of all pupils whether in or out of day 
school. If a rule be established of a minimum attendance of 15, 
a month should not elapse before it is observed. Principals 
should be authorized and directed to reduce the number of classes 
when it is quite evident that the pupils attending are insufficient. 
Sudden spurts that temporarily raise enrollment are practically 
worthless for instruction, even if they bring a few pupils together 
for a brief period. In reducing or consolidating classes the super- 
visor in charge of all evening schools should be permitted some 
discretion. It is unwise to break up small classes in an advanced 
subject like trigonometry or calculus. 

6. Employment of Day School Teachers 

The policy in Los Angeles is to select for evening school 
service only teachers who do not serve in day schools. There 
were in the evening elementary schools less than thirty-five 
such teachers, including sloyd teachers. 

The policy, it is agreed, is sound if competent evening school 
teachers can be secured. This is not a simple problem. Unless 
it is possible to obtain satisfactory instructors from other than 
the day school corps it is suggested that day school teachers 
may be employed in evening schools, subject to the condition 
that they have served as teachers in Los Angeles not less than 
one year, and that their service has been satisfactory both in 
day and evening school for the year preceding. 

The evening schools need supervision by some one who can 
give abundant time to their development. Waste, through 
unnecessary duplication or other faulty organization, should be 
reduced. Los Angeles is not spending too much money on 
its evening schools. The aim should be to spend it more ef- 
fectively. 

7. Recommendations 

The Committee recommends: 

1: That the supervising authority in charge of evening 
schools be relieved of other duties so as to be free, 
so far as possible, to give fu 1 time to the reorganiza- 
tion and more intensive supervision of the evening 
schools. 

142 



2: That in organizing the evening elementary schools and 
evening high schools, subjects and classes be assigned 
in such a manner as to avoid unnecessary duplication. 

3: That arrangements be made for the normal instruction 
of teachers of foreigners, either independently or in 
co-operation with the Normal School. 

4: That the method of selecting and appointing teachers 
be organized so as to secure the most competent 
teachers, in accordance with suggestions made in 
this report. 

5: That principals be empowered to modify the hours in 
beginning and opening sessions, or that permission 
be given for changing such hours when the days 
lengthen. 

6: That principals be empowered to drop classes in cases 
in which it is evident that the registration is too small, 
or in cases in which the average attendance is below 
the minimum fixed for a period of ten evenings. 

7: That the system of records be re-organized so as to 
indicate the exact number of pupils attending each 
period or each evening of evening school sessions, and 
the distribution of pupils by subjects and periods of 
attendance. 

8: That discretion be permitted the supervisory officer 
in applying the rules forbidding the employment of 
teachers or principals engaged in day work, when 
proper reasons are given therefor. 



143 



XI 

THE EXPERIENCE, TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION 
OF PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS 

1. In Elementary Schools 

Table 36: Showing Experience, Training and Certification of the 
Various Grades of Teachers, Principals and Supervisors, These 

Reports do Not Include All Teachers Employed. In 
All Cases in Which Teachers Reported College Attendance 
This Was Assumed to Include Either Normal or High 
School Training 
kindergarten directors (137) 



Years of service 


H-i 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 






Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


7 
14 


24 
13 


27 
17 


37 
9 


20 


20 


2 


Total experience 




10 


22 


44 


24 


33 


4 



Median number years total experience 5-10 - 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal only 

High and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911 

Saturday school since 1911 

Summer " " " 



2 
14 



I 
15 



29 
16 
16 
1 
1 
24 



14 



Certificates 


Kg. 


Rg- 

and 
el em. 


Kg. 

and 
Isf 

gr. 


and 
spcl. 
elem. 


Kg. 

and 
H. S. 
spcl. 


Total 


Number having 


120 


4 


6 


6 


1 


137 



144 



KINDEBGARTEX ASSISTANTS (114) 



Years of service 


H-1 


2-3 


3-5 


.5-10 


10-15 

3 
2 


15-25 


Over 
25 






Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . . 


35 
9 


55 

14 


13 
5 


6 
15 


1 
2 


1 


Total experience 


16 


44 


23 


18 


8 


4 


1 



Median niinil)er years total experience. 3-5 



Years of study . 



High school only. . 

Normal school only 

High school ant! normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911 . 
Saturday " " " 

Summer 



10 

2 

7 

13 

17 



78 
1 



Certificates 


Kg. 
Elem. 


Kg. A- 

Elem. 


Kg. & 
1st Gr. 

3 


Kg. & 

Spl. 
Elem. 


Kg. & 
H. S. 
Spcl. 


Total 






Number having 


103 


4 


1 


3 


114 



145 



ELEMENTARY TEACHERS (1212), INCLUDING TEACHERS OF UNGRADED CLASSES 

ALSO 
EMERGENCY ELEMENTARY TEACHERS 



I'ears of service . . ... 


^-I 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 






Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles. 


161 
132 


33 S 
247 


249 
141 


319 
2S4 


130 

180 


9 

85 


14 


Total experience 


33 


116 


148 


304 


291 


247 


84 



Meciian niini!)L>r years total experience. . . 



10-15 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911. 
Saturday " " " 

Summer " " " 



13 
52 
58 

122 
40 
79 

114 



2 



11 

26 

490 

61 

85 
4 

43 

78 



8 
26 
38 
39 
60 
2 
7 
26 



24 
10 
62 
16 
57 
1 
1 
10 



Certificates 


Reg. 
clem. 


spcl. 
elem. 


ret/. 
//." S. 


spcl. 
//. .S. 


Ele. 

and 
Spec. 
H. S. 


Reg. 
Ele. 
& reg. 
U.S. 






Number having 

Total 


1148 





26 





25 


13 
1212 



146 



ELEMENTAKY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS (145) 



Years of service 


H-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-2.^. 


Over 
25 






Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles. 


9 
12 


5 

30 


17 
22 


36 
35 


28 
21 


39 
15 


11 
4 


Total experience 





3 


4 


10 


25 


59 


44 







Median number years total experience 15-25 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High and Normal 

C'ollege 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911 
Saturday " " " 



20 
30 



4 

4 

21 

3 

12 



37 
8 
7 
4 

11 



21 



10 
1 



10 
3 

8 



/ 










Elem. 
& 


Reg. 

Elem. 

& 




Reg. 


Spcl. 


Reg. 


Spcl. 


Spcl. 


Spcl. 


Certificates 


elcm. 


clem. 


H. S. 


11. S. 


11. S. 


H.S. 


Number having 


129 




9 




2 


5 


Total 












145 



147 



SPECIAL TEACHERS 

AGRICULTURE— BATAVIA DOMESTIC SCIENCE, DRAWING AND 

MUSIC CLASSES FOR THE DEAF 



Years of service 


H-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 


Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . . 


63 
35 


94 

68 


68 
36 


42 
41 


22 

27 


11 
22 




Total experience 


23 


43 


49 


48 


45 


50 


10 



Median number years total experience 5-10 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911 

Saturday school since 1911 

Summer " " " 



4 
19 
18 
35 

4 
56 
71 



2 

3 

49 

10 

9 

2 

11 

23 



1 
2 
33 
6 
5 

"'s 

22 



2 
4 
24 
9 
6 

"2 

7 



Certificates 


Reg. 

elem. 


Spcl. 
elem . 


Reg. 
H.S. 


Spcl. 
H. S. 


Elem. 
and 
Spcl. 

H. S. 


Total 






Number having 


49 


43 


7 


81 


80 


260 



148 



SUPERVISORS OF SPECIAL SUBJECTS 
AGRICULTURAL, DRAWING, DOMESTIC SCIENCE, MANUAL TRAINING, MANUAL 
ARTS NATURE STUDY, ORCHESTRA, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, HEALTH DEPARTMENT 



Years of service 


H-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 


Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


1 
1 


6 
10 


13 
4 


17 
9 


8 
16 


5 
5 


r 


Total experience 






6 


7 


11 


24 


4 



Median number years total experience 15-25 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911. 
Saturday " " " 

Summer " " " 



1 
6 
2 
3 
2 
1 
11 



5 
17 

"5 
1 



Certificates 


Reg. 
Elem. 


Spcl. 
Elem. 


Reg. 
H. S. 


Spcl. 
H. S. 


Elem. 
and 
Spcl. 

H. S. 


Total 




10 


10 


8 


29 




57 







149 



Table 37: Giving a Summary of Preceding Table as the Data Affect 
Elementary Teachers, Principals and Supervisors 







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Kindergarten directors . . . 


137 


63 


7 


4 


115 




94 




" assistants. . 


114 


24 


4 


5 


35 




59 




Total . ... 


251 
1212 


87 
496 


11 
73 


9 
108 


150 
1059 


0.6 

0.87 


153 
676 


0.61 


Elementary teachers 


0.59 


Elementary principals. . . . 


145 


61 


11 


24 


129 


0.89 


232 


1.60 


Special teachers 


194 


98 


15 


24 


184 


0.94 


412 


2.17 


Supervisors 


57 


38 


22 


20 


121 


2.12 


111 


2.59 



KINDERGARTENERS 

The kindergarteners represent, as a whole, the youngest 
group of teachers, the median years of experience of the directors, 
or head teachers, being 5 to 10, and of assistant teachers, 3 
to 5. 

iVmong 137 directors and 114 assistants who reported, there 
are 11 who were in colleges and universities for 4 years. There 
are 9 who hold degrees. This is equivalent to 4% of the corps. 
The aggregate of college or university work was 150 years, or 
(for purposes of comparison) an average of .60 years of college 
work to each teacher of the corps. 

For the kindergarten corps who attended Saturday sessions 
and summer schools, or who took up correspondence courses, 
the total number of sessions aggregated 153, or 0.61 courses 
per teacher. 



150 



ELEMENTARY TEACHERS (INCLUDING TEACHERS OF IFNCaiADEU 
SCHOOLS, EMERGENCY TEACH KRS, ETC.) 

More than half of the eleineiitary school teachers have served 
more than 10 years; the median is 10 to 15 years. 

Less than 5% have any certificate entitling them to do work 
beyond the elementary grades. 

Of the 1212 teachers reporting there are 73 who attended 
college or nniversity for 4 years. There are 108 who hold de- 
grees. This is equivalent to about 7% of the cori)s. The 
aggregate of college or university work was 1059 years, or .87 
years to each teacher. 

The aggregate number of sessions at summer schools, Sat- 
urday sessions and correspondence courses was G7G, or .50 to a 
teacher. 

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS 

As wou'd be expected, the median number of years of experi- 
ence would be greater for elementary principals. In the Los 
Angeles schools the median is 15 to 25 years. 

Of the 145 principals reporting there are 11 who completed 
4 years of college or university work. There are 24 who took 
degrees. This is equivalent to 17% of the corps. The aggre- 
gate of college or university work was 129 years, or .80 years to 
each principal. 

The aggregate number of sessions attended at summer schools, 
Saturday sessions and correspondence courses was 232, or 1.6 
to a principal. 

It is gratifying to note that principals are setting a good ex- 
ample to teachers by attending supplementary courses. Com- 
pared with the elementary principals, the elementary teachers 
share almost as high an average of college study, but only a 
third as high an average in supplementary study. 

SPECIAL TEACHERS 

The median experience of teachers of special subjects is the 
same as that of kindergarten directors, 5 to 10 years. Of the 
194 special teachers reporting, there are 15 who attended a 
college or university for 4 years. There are 24 who hold degrees. 
This is equivalent to about 12% of the corps. The aggregate 
of college or university work was 184 years, or 0.95 to a teach- 
er on the average. 

For the special teachers who attended Saturday sessions or 
summer sessions, or who studied by correspondence, the total 
number of sessions aggregated 422 or 2.17 per teacher — a high 
average. 

151 



THE SUPERVISORS OF SPECIAL SUBJECTS 

Persons holding these positions have naturally been longer 
in the service than the special teachers they supervise. The 
median of years of service, as in the case of elementary principals 
is 15 to 25. 

Of the 57 supervisors or assistant supervisors 20 have taken 
degrees, or about 35% of the staff. There are 22 who spent 
4 years in college. The aggregate distribution of years of col- 
lege work is 121 or 2.12 years per teacher. 

There were 111 hours of work in correspondence courses, 
summer schools and Saturday sessions, an average of 2.59 for 
each teacher of the corps. 

In making comparisons among the different divisions of a 
corps by per cents., incautious inferences should be avoided. 
Estimates based on aggregates that are averaged by dividing 
by a number of persons who have not contributed to the ag- 
gregate are apt to be misleading. At best they give only a 
general basis for comparison. 

It is obvious, for example, that if among forty teachers twenty 
have finished four years' college work and twenty have not, 
then a statement that the average is two years per teacher may 
mean very little, if compared with another group of forty all of 
whom have attended college for from 1 to 2 years' time. 



152 



2, In Intkumkdiatk Sciiooi-s 

Table 38: Siiovvinc; TRAiNtNG, Eximokiknce and ('.ERTiFrcATTioN ok the 
Teaching Force in Intermediate Schools According 
TO Number who Reported 
intermediate teachers 



Years of scrricc 


v-i-i 


2-3 


3-5 


,5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 






No. of teachers having experi- 
ence in Los Angeles 


12 

18 


78 
57 


79 
29 


64 

67 


30 

46 


15 
12 


1 


No. of teachers having experi- 
ence out of Los Angeles 


1 


Total experience 


3 


21 


30 


73 


67 


77 


7 



Median number years total experience in the group 10-15 



Years of Study. 



No. of teachers who studied in 
high school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 
1911 

Saturday school since 1911 

Summer school since 1911 



1 


2 


3 


4 


5 


1 




1 


5 




6 


23 


18 


15 




18 


14 


8 


14 




40 


26 


21 


68 




9 










9 


1 








14 


2 


13 


3 





Certificates. 



Number having. 



Reg. 
Elem. 



Spcl. 
Elem. 



Reg. 
H. S. 



134 



Spcl. 
H. S. 



144 



Elem. 

and 

Special 

H. S. 



Reg. 

Elem. & 

Special 

H. S. 



153 



INTERMEDIATE PRINCIPALS AND VICE PRINCIPALS 



Years of service 


J^-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 


Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


2 


4 


2 


2 
5 


5 
2 


5 


2 


Total experience 








1 


4 


7 


4 







Median number of Years total experience in the group 15-25 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911 . 

Saturday courses since 1911 

Summer courses since 1911 



23 
30 
51 



3 
2 

9 
14 
34 



7 
19 



Certificates . 



Number receiving. 



Reg. 


Spcl. 


Reg. 


Spcl. 


Elem. 


Elem. 


H. S. 


H. S. 


2 


1 


8 






Salaries $1920.00 $3000.00 

Number receiving 8 8 



154 



INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS 

Of 280 teachers in the intermediate schools reporting, 134 
hold regular high school certificates and 14G hold high school 
special certificates. 

These teachers report a wide variation of training, ranging 
from college or university graduation to high school graduation 
only. 

An analysis of these reports indicates that 209 out of 278 have 
had one or more years of college or university training; one 
hundred and twenty-one, or 43 per cent., hold degrees from any 
college or university; fifteen reported a four year normal course; 
eighteen a three year normal course; twenty-three, two year 
normal course; and six, one year normal course. On the whole, 
from these data it seems that the intermediate school teachers 
have less training, as measured in terms of college or normal 
school work, than the high school teachers. 

Inasmuch as the teachers in the intermediate high schools are 
paid on the same salary schedule, it seems only reasonable 
that these teachers be held responsible for an extensive academic 
or technical training. College graduation has been the standard 
for a generation for the best high school teachers. 

In the judgment of this Committee, the eligibility require- 
ments of the teachers of the intermediate schools appointed 
in the future should be fixed so as to guarantee a high type of 
preparation. This Committee recognizes the fact that college 
or normal school graduation is by no means a guarantee of 
success, yet it is a safeguard. 

This Committee also recognizes the fact that, in the case of 
teachers of certain vocational subjects, it is difficult to find ap- 
plicants qualified to teach these subjects who are also graduates. 

The record of attendance at summer school or Saturday ses- 
sions, as well as of study by correspondence, indicates that the 
members of the intermediate school corps are endeavoring to 
raise the general standard of instruction. An average of 1.5 
sessions per teacher compares favorablj^ with what teachers in 
other branches of the school department are doing. 



155 



3. In High Schools 

Table 38A: Showing Training, Experience and Certification of 

THE Teaching Force in High Schools According to Number 

Who Reported 

high school teachers 





^-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 






J^xperience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


52 
31 


115 

82 


121 
70 


141 
139 


44 
67 


25 
39 


1 
2 


Total experience 


5 


33 


42 


141 


117 


136 


26 



Median number years total experience in the group 10-15 



Years of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911. 

Saturday courses since 1911 

Summer courses since 1911 



6 
15 
73 
57 
55 
93 



3 

4 
22 
20 

58 
2 
8 

60 



2 

2 
11 

14 

47 

1 

1 

44 



10 

2 

3 

41 

156 

3 
13 



17 



Certificates . 



Number having. 



Reg. 
Elem. 



Spcl. 
Elem. 



Reg. 
H. S. 



319 



Spcl. 
H. S. 



175 



Elem. 

and 

Special 

H. S. 



Reg. 

Elem. & 

Reg. 

H. S. 



156 



HKill SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND VICE PRINCIPALS 



Years of service 


H-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 


Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


3 


1 
2 


2 
5 


11 

7 


5 
5 


2 
4 


.... 


Total experience . 






5 


7 


U 


3 







Median number years total experience in the group 15-25 



I'^ears of study. 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence school since 1911. 

Saturday courses since 1911 

Summer schools since 1911 



Certificates 


Reg. 
Elem. 


Spel. 
Elem. 


Reg. 
H. S. 


Spcl. 
H. S. 


Elem. 

and 

Special 

H. S. 


Reg. 

Elem. & 

Reg, 

H. S. 






Number having 






24 













157 



TEACHING FORCE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS 

Of the 494 teachers reporting 319 hold high school certificates, 
and 175 hold special high school certificates. 

These teachers report a wide variation of training, ranging 
from eight years of university training to one year of high school 
and to no training at all. The table shows reports of the train- 
ing of 497 high school teachers. This means that three teachers 
reported no year of training. One teacher reported one year 
only of high school training; three, two years of high school 
training only, and so on. It should be noted that the distinc- 
tion between college and university work is arbitrary and has 
not been made the same in all cases. However, there are almost 
one hundred teachers who have had not to exceed one year's 
training in normal school, college or university work. On the 
other hand, there are sixty-three teachers who have had in ex- 
cess of four years of normal, college and university training. 
These variations seem wide but it is conceivable that each in- 
dividual case is justifiable. Nevertheless, in the judgment of 
this Committee, it is highly desirable that the eligibility re- 
quirements in future be established so as to guarantee more 
academic and professional training than exists now^ in the case 
of teachers with minimum training. 

The degrees range from the ordinary Bachelor of Arts degree 
to the degree of Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor 
of Medicine. The total number of degrees reported by the 494 
teachers are 340; leaving about 150 teachers who report no 
degrees which confirms the facts suggested in the table showing 
college training. 

As the committee has already stated the possession of a 
degree from college does not guarantee an efficient teacher. 
Nevertheless it is one check of intellectual interest and endeavor 
which has lieen considered valuable since the first establishment 
of high schools. In view of the fact that there are so many ap- 
plicants for teaching positions here it seems desirable that the 
administration emphasize college training as a condition in the 
future selection of teachers. 

One measure of the intellectual and professional interest of 
the teacher is attendance at summer schools and Saturday 
classes and the taking of correspondence courses. The table 
(P. 197) shows the number of high school teachers who have done 
such work within the past five years. This indicates that within 
the past five years fifty-seven teachers have registered for one 
correspondence course; fifty-five have taken at least one Satur- 
day course and ninety-three have attended one summer session. 
Sixty have attended two summer sessions, etc. 

158 r 



Many cities place a definite preniiuni upon such evidences of 
professional growth by providing definite rewards for advanced 
study, either in the nature of cash lionuses or definite recogni- 
tion for promotion. Boston and New York require a merit sys- 
tem of promotion. Many cities recognize such evidence of 
growth in their system of promotion on merit. 

EXPERIENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACH EKS 

The experience of high school teachers varies from one to 
thirty-five years. The median experience including work within 
and without Los Angeles is 12 years. It may be said that the 
high school teachers in Los Angeles are relatively young as 
compared with high school teachers in other cities having a 
l^opulation approximately ecpial to that of Los Angeles. Ac- 
cording to the present salary schedule about half of the teachers 
have had sufficient years of experience to receive the maximum 
salary. 

4. In Evening Schools 

Table 39: Showing Training, Experience and Certification of the 
Teaching Force in Elementary Evening Schools Not Otherwise 

Reported 



Years of service 


3^-1 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 






Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


39 
9 


20 
6 


2 

S 


4 

8 


3 

8 


"2 


r 


Total experience 


16 


22 


8 


8 


5 


7 


3 







Median number years experience in the group 2-3 



Years of stuc 



High school only 

Normal school only 

High school and normal 

(College 

University 

("orrespondence school since 1911. 

Saturday courses since 1911 

Summer school since 1911 



4 

IG 

1 

7 
9 



11 

i 



Certificates . 



Number having. 



Reg. 
Elem. 



42 



Spcl. 
Elem. 



Reg. 
H. S. 



Spcl. 
H. S. 



14 



Elem. 

an<l 
Special 
H. S. 



Reg. 

Elem. & 

Reg. 

H. S. 



159 



EVENING SCHOOL TEACHERS 
EVENING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 

Of the evening elementary school teachers employed 69 are 
not teachmg in the day school. Of this number 48 had attended 
college or university for one or more years; there were 11 who 
had attended college for four years and 19 who had degrees. 
This is a much higher average than is recorded among the 
teachers of the elementary corps in the matter of attendance 
at college. 

The attendance at summer schools and Saturday morning 
sessions also shows a high average. It is, therefoi-e, evident that 
these members of the evening elementary school corps cannot be 
termed poorly trained. There are some aspects of their work, 
however, for which there is not at the present time any provision 
for proper instruction. The Committee refers especially to the 
lack of facilities for affording any training in method or pro- 
cedure dealing with the teaching of foreigners. 

Table 39 A: Showing Training, Experience and Certification of the 

Teaching F'orce in Evening High Schools Not 

Otherwise Reported 



Years of service 


V2-i 

19 
3 


2-3 


3-5 


5-10 


10-15 


15-25 


Over 
25 


Experience in Los Angeles 

Experience out of Los Angeles . 


11 
3 


5 
4 


3 

7 


1 

7 


1 

7 


"l 


Total experience 


8 


7 


3 


7 


5 


9 


4 







Median number years total experience in the group 5-10 



Years of study 

High school only 

Normal school onlj^ 

High school and normal 

College 

University 

Correspondence courses since 1911 

Saturday schools since 1911 

Summer courses since 1911 



-1 



8 
11 



Certificates . 



Number having. 



Reg. 
Elem. 



Spcl. 
Elem. 



160 



Reg. 
H. S. 



12 



Spcl. 
H. S. 



30 



Elem. 

and 
Special 
H. S. 



Reg. 

Elem. & 

Reg. 

H. S. 



EVENING HKJII SCHOOL TEACHERS 

Out of the 42 evening high school teachers and principals who 
are not employed in day school almost all have attended col- 
lege. 19 of the 42 have attended college or university for four 
years and fifteen have received degrees. 

Reference to the figures in the table shows that teachers 
in evening high school Avho are not employed in day school 
have a high standard of training, averaging 2]^ years of college 
work per teacher. 

The per cent, of attendance at summer schools, Saturday 
sessions, etc., is unusually high for teachers who are engaged in 
evening work only. 

It is difficult to obtain all the facts of training from an enum- 
eration of college or summer school attendance. Some teach- 
ers have traveled, taken courses in reading, or had private in- 
struction. There are many factors that contribute to general 
training and, in some measure, to professional training, besides 
attendance at institutions of instruction. 

The (^ommittee has stated why it believes this latter type of 
instruction desirable, and even necessary. It does not question, 
however, that among the men and women who have no official 
record of attendance at institutions of learning, there are many 
who in their work and life exemplify xery high ideals of pro- 
fessional excellence. 



5. Appointment of Teachers 

(a) PRESENT method 

Reference to the report of the Board of Education under date 
of June 30, 1914, pages 143 to 158 shows the details of appoint- 
ment and promotion in the Los Angeles schools These are 
partially controlled by legal restrictions of the state and are 
partially the result of Board regulations in the city of Los Angeles. 
Within limits, it is possible for the Board to set up its own rules 
for eligibility and promotions. 

The number of applicants for teaching positions in the city 
of Los Angeles is greatly in excess of vacancies. It is, there- 
fore, possible, from a practical standpoint, for the city of Los 
Angeles to set up very much higher standards of entrance than 
now exist. For example, on the occasion of the last examina- 
tion of teachers there were about six hundred candidates who 
had met the state and county requirements; there will probably 
not be more than two hundred positions to fill. Thus the city 
has a fine opportunity for selection. 

161 



Since the Board is apparentV in a position to make higher 
requirements for appointment, it would be wise for it to take ad- 
vantage of such condition. The present qualifications should 
continue; that is, requirements for kindergarten, elementary, 
high, elementary intermediate, elementary special and high 
school special teachers. It would be well to make definite 
conditions as to eligibility for elementary school principals and 
evening school principals and teachers. These recommenda- 
ions, however, should be in no wise interpreted to mean that 
new qualifications or conditions for appointment should affect 
the eligibility of members of the supervisory and teaching corps 
now performing satisfactory service, if the continuance of the 
class of service is, itself, considered necessary. 

So long as increase in salaries is automatic, the only safe- 
guard which the Board can make for improving the professional 
quality of teachers is through the establishment of conditions 
of eligibility for the original appointment. In those cases, 
however, in which there is some provision for promotion, as in 
appointment of elementary teachers to elementary principal- 
ships it is very desirable that the Board should recognize that 
such promotion is, in effect, the beginning of a new type of ser- 
vice for which a special qualification may be, and should be 
required. Every city recognizes that promotions in the teach- 
ing corps shou'd be made from among those who have distin- 
guished themselves by their service as teachers. It is, however, 
difficu t to assume that the successful performance of class- 
room duties is the only essential, however necessary it may be 
that the candidate has been a competent teacher. Further- 
more, it will always be possible to make some selection from- 
among a number, all of whom have been competent and suc- 
cessful. Under such circumstances, those may be logically 
preferred who, because of an unusual degree of professional 
training, are well prepared, not on'y to supervise the school 
in a mechanical sense, but also qualified to inspire the teachers 
and give them direct help and guidance according to the best 
standards of professional practice. 

It is particularly important that in assigning teachers to such 
special work as is taught in the evening school classes, notably 
the teaching of English to foreigners, some method be devised 
for which there may be some assurance that such teachers are 
qualified to do the particular type of work demanded. 

Rigid rules for eligibility are desirable in order to guarantee 
that the schools of the future may be ca ed for by the highest 
type of teacher. It should always be remembered that the 
teacher who is admitted to the school system to-day is a poten- 
tial mem ber of the working corps for a lifetime. From the 

162 



very nature of tlie type of service rendered, relatively few teach- 
ers are discharged. '^J"'herefore it is of the highest importance 
that initial appointment he safeguarded in every way. For 
example, if it should seem desirable, ultimately, for the ordinary 
teacher to teach certain subjects formerly considered as outside 
of her province, such as music or drawing, it may easily be pos- 
sible for the city of Los Angeles to select only teachers who have 
these or other special requirements and thus the school may, 
in a few years, have in its employ hundreds of teachers who are 
qualified to teach, not only the regular subjects, but these 
subjects in addition. 

These details of method should be worked out by the Superin- 
tendent and his assistants. In the judgment of your Com- 
mittee certain factors are of importance. Among them are 
education, experience and the promise of professional growth. 
Educational requirements should include academic and technical 
training. Minimum academic training is, in a measure, guarante- 
ed by the state at the present time. Los Angeles can, if it choos- 
es, increase the requirements for academic scholarship by demand- 
ing more specific work of this nature. Technical or professional 
educational reciuirements might be set up to make it possible 
to select teachers who have demonstrated sufficient interest 
in teaching to have made detailed and continuous preparation 
for the service. Some evidence or promise of professional 
growth should be demanded. Among such evidence might be 
mentioned attendance at summer sessions, Saturday courses, 
or study through correspondence; professional reading, travel, 
and other similar activities might logically contriV)ute. 

Experience, no doubt, is of importance, but efficiency is by 
no means to be considered in terms of experience alone. This 
fact should be given due consideration in setting up require- 
ments for eligibility and for promotion. If the salaries are to be 
increased from year to year, the theory is, at least, that this pay- 
ment is given for superior service. There are better ways of 
determining increased efficiency than by measuring increase 
of experience without any check as to its quality. 

(b) PROBATIONARY PERIOD 

As relatively few teachers are dropped after an appointment, 
it is exceedingly important that the probationary period be 
guarded with care. There should be provision requiring rigid 
standards of performance of duty during this time; otherwise, 
not only the children suffer who are being taught, but weak 
teachers may become more or less permanently established in the 
system. Consequently, there should be adequate provision 
for careful supervision and checking of all probationary teac hers. 

163 



(c) RECOMMENDATIONS 

The Committee recommends: 

1: That the requirements for eligibility be raised; 

2: That the Superintendent be directed to submit a plan 
for standards of elegibility for initial appointment 
and promotion; 

3: That the probationary period be supervised and check- 
ed. 

6. Salary Grades — Distribution of Teachers 

Table 40: Showing Grades of Salaries of Principals and Teachers 
IN THE Los Angeles Public Schools and the Number 
Receiving Them 
kindergarten directors (head teachers) 

Salaries $864 $888 $912 $936 $960 $984 

No. Receiving 16 14 6 7 14 80 

kindergarten assistants 

Salaries $624 $672 $720 $768 $816 $864 

No. Receiving 21 62 8 16 7 32 

PHYSICAL training TEACHERS 

Salaries $768 $816 $864 $912 $960 $1008 $1056 $1104 $1152 $1200 

No. receiving 1 ... 1 1 1 1 

REGULAR GRADE TEACHERS 

Salaries $768 $816 $864 $912 $960 $1008 $1056 $1104 $1152 $1200 

No. receiving 22 45 69 67 89 68 67 65 58 621 

ungraded TEACHERS 

Salaries $768 $816 $864 $912 $960 $1008 $1056 $1104 $1152 $1200 

No. receiving 3 2 4 ... 2 3 6 8 3 60 

164 



TEACHEKS OF SPECIAL SUBJECTS 



Salaries 


$768 $816 $864 $912 $960 $1008 $1056 $1104 $1152 $1200 


Agricultural. . . 


3 1 




2 


1 


3 


2 




1 


12 


Batavia 


















3 


Domestic 






Science 


18 4 


5 


10 


6 


4 


5 


2 


2 


22 


Drawing 


4 4 




3 


1 


2 


1 


1 


18 




Manual Arts . . 


1 1 




1 




1 






1 


3 


Manual Train- 




















ing 


6 3 


3 


7 


5 


1 


1 


4 


1 


26 


Music 


4 5 


3 


4 


3 


1 


3 


2 


1 


22 



SUPERVISORS, AND ASSISTANTS, OF SPECIAL SUBJECTS 



Sala 



$1680 



$2580 



Agricultural 

Drawing, 

Domestic Science. 
Manual Training. 

Manual Arts 

Music 



Nature Study 

Orchestra 

Physical Education. 



Salaries $2580 $900 $1200 $2100 $1104 



Doctors . 



*$900 Physician works 
half time. 



Nurses . 



DEAF TEACHERS 

Salaries $912 $1056 $1200 $1440 



No. receiving 1 



1 



6 



1 



ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS 

Salaries $1200 1280 1300 1320 1340 1360 1380 1440 1500 1560 1620 



No. receiving. . 1 



9 



6 



9 



13 



Salaries. $1680 1740 1800 1860 1920 1980 2100 2160 2220 2280 2340 2400 
No. receiv- 
ing.... 3 10 10 7 1 12 4 11 5 3 2 9 

165 



INTERMEDIATE TEACHERS 



Salaries $1200 1260 1320 1380 1440 1500 1560 1600 1640 1680 

No receiving 9 12 14 16 20 17 19 15 UJ^ 141 

INTERMEDIATE PRINCIPALS 

8 AT $3000 

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS 

(including Heads and Sub-Heads of Departments) 



Salaries 


..$1200 


1260 


1320 


1380 


1440 


1500 


1560 


1600 


1640 


No receiving . . 


6 


12 


19 


19 


25 


33 


33 


23 


21 


Salaries 


. . $1680 


1740 


1800 


1860 


1920 


1980 


2040 


2100 


2160 


No receiving. . 


. 255 


1 


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HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS 

Salaries $1200 2700 3000 3300 3600 

No receiving 1* 2 4 1 4 

• Principal of Wilmington H. S. also received 81200 as princpial of Wilmington Elementary 
School. 

HIGH SCHOOL VICE-PRINCIPALS 

12 Vice-Principals at $2400 

1 Vice-Principal at 1980 

TEACHERS EVENING HIGH SCHOOL PLAYGROUND TEACHERS 

134 Teachers at $600 (Part Time) 

5 Principals at $804 62 Teachers at $300 

TEACHERS ELEMENTARY EVENING SCHOOLS 

128 Teachers at $408 14 Principals at $600 



166 



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169 



In making these comparisons of salaries, it must be remembered 
that the data for Los Angeles represents salaries according to a 
scale adopted as late as 1913-14 or even during 1914-15, whereas 
the salaries in other cities mentioned are with the exception of 
Cleveland for salaries as they existed in 1912-13. 

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS 

Accepting the figures as they stand, we notice that Los Angeles 
stands high in the rate of compensation for elementary teachers, 
higher than any city of corresponding size in the list of cities 
given in Fig. 17, with the single exception of San Francisco. 
This holds true not only for median salaries as shown in Fig. 17, 
but also for salaries by groups of persons. Thus, according to 
Fig. 18, if we start with the teachers who receive the lowest 
salary we find among the first 10% of those employed, that the 
highest salary received by any teacher was $816. Among the 
lowest 70% the highest salary received was $1,172, a rate ex- 
ceeded only by Chicago, Boston and San Francisco from among 
the cities selected for comparison. 

The present rate of compensation permits the city to choose 
from a considerable host of applicants, for only a portion of 
whom places are available. The wisest administration is that 
which pays an adequate rate of compensation and which then 
requires corresponding standgirds in the selection of its teachers. 

ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS 

The comparison of salaries of elementary principals in the 
schools of Los Angeles with those of other cities will appear 
surprising to those who have assumed that the scale of compensa- 
tion is a high one. Either with respect to median salaries (Fig. 
19) or to salaries by groups (Fig. 20), the salaries paid are com- 
paratively low. 

It must be remembered, however, that the compensation 
of principals in Los Angeles schools is dependent upon the size 
of the building. Thus among 132 who receive the salary of 
this grade of service, more than 25% receive only $160 more per 
year than regular grade teachers. Comparison, therefore, 
among cities should be supplemented by a knowledge of the re- 
lative size of school buildings in different cities. 

In any case, however, the pay of elementary school drincipals 
would not be apt to appear as high relatively as that of other 
members of the school staff, because the ratio of increase of pay 
for elementary principals during the last five years has been 
considerably less than that paid to teachers, especially to special 
teachers, to teachers of ungraded classes and to teachers in 
intermediate schools. 

170 



HIGH .SCHOOL TKACHKIiS 

Los Angeles stands high in its salary provisions for high scliool 
teachers. Teachers in intermediate schools receive the same 
salaries as teachers in the high schools if they have high school 
certificates, and if they have not, they still receive a higher 
salary than do the regular teachers of elementary grades. 

In estimating, therefore, salaries of high school teachers, the 
intermediate school teachers might be included or omitted ac- 
cording to the point of view. The median adopted included 
both intermediate and high schools. Had it included high 
schools only, the median rate of compensation would not have 
been affected. 

There are, however, fifty-three teachers in the high school 
service who receive salaries higher than teachers in the inter- 
mediate schools because of certain grades of service, — heads 
and sub-heads of departments, — which do not exist in the latter. 
In Fig. 22 this difference is noted. If the teachers in high 
schools only be included, the highest salary paid to the 90% 
group of high school teachers is $1,800. If teachers in the inter- 
mediate and high schools be included, the highest salarv paid is 
$1,G80. 

An examination of the curve will show that Los Angeles has a 
narrower range in variation in high school salaries than other 
cities have. The low^est salary paid is $1,200, the highest $2,160, 
a variation of $960. In other cities the variation for high school 
teachers may exceed $2,000. 

In Los Angeles the younger teacher tends to receive a higher 
rate of pay than do teachers in other cities. On the other hand, 
in the majority of the cities listed in Fig. 21, high school teachers 
having special grades of service or long service apparently 
receive higher salaries than do such teachers in Los Angeles. 



171 



7. Services of Teachers 
(a) distribution of teachers according to ratings 
Table 41: Showing Ratings of Teachers in the Public Schools of 
Los Angeles as Contained in the Quarterly Reports, February, 1916 



Type of school. 



Total \ St 



S 



S- 



NS 



All types of schools 

Evening schools 

Day schools 

Day high schools 

Day intermediate schools .... 

Other day schools 

Evening high schools 

Other evening schools 

Music department — 

(By supervisors) 

Drawing department 

Home economics department . 

Total ratings of supervisors. . . 



3303 
317 

2986 
512 
301 

2173 
148 
169 

20 
20 

78 



118 



12 


12 



12 










2961 
274 

2687 
454 
280 

1953 
118 
156 


13 
51 



80 
1 

79 

10 


69 

1 

2 



21 



218 
33 

185 
45 
18 

122 
21 
12 

10 

7 
6 



32 
9 

23 
3 
3 

17 
9 


8 









64 



23 



23 



Percentages of the Above Tables 



All types of schools 

Evening schools 

Day schools 

Day high schools 

Day intermediate schools 

Other day schools 

Evening high schools 

Other evening schools 

Music, Drawing, Home Econ. 



100 


.4 


89.6 


2.4 


6.6 


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86.4 


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100 


.4 


89.9 


2.6 


6.2 


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88.6 


2. 


8.7 


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93. 





5.9 


100 


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89.9 


3.1 


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79.7 


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92.3 


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7.1 


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54.2 


195 


19.5 



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2.8 
.8 
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.8 

6.0 


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Note — "S+" is more than satisfactory. "S" is satisfactory. 
barely satisfactory. "F" is fair. "N S" is not satisfactory. 

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172 



The large proportion of the teachers in the elementary and 
high schools marked "satisfactory" is not unusual. In all 
school systems the ratio of satisfactory, good or excellent teach- 
ers, as evidenced by principal's rating is high. It is to be 
expected that intermediate schools should show the highest 
percentage of satisfactory teachers, because the great majority 
of them were selected from the elementary schools on account 
of superior qualities. 

A more careful discrimination has been shown by the princi- 
pals of evening high schools than by the principals of evening 
elementary schools. Not a single elementary evening school 
teacher was considered as "not satisfactory", a judgment which 
seems to be exceedingly generous in view of the character of the 
work done in some of the classes. It is customary however to 
mark no one "not satisfactory" whose class survives. 

Very few teachers leave the Los Angeles school system in 
Aoluntarily. Inasmuch as teachers are a highly selected group 
of people, this is a natural condition. There have been occasions 
when unsatisfactory teachers, conscious of their failure, voluntari- 
ly resign. Few are discharged outright. 

It is hardly to be expected, however, that these teachers are 
of equal merit, even though they are all marked satisfactory. 
The exist'ng schedule of salaries provides an automatic increase 
of salary for ten years. This is an easy form of salary adjust- 
ment, but such a system is not calculated to be of such stimulat- 
ing growth to teachers as a system based on merit. According 
to the present schedule, a group of 100 teachers will all advance 
at the same rate for a period of twelve years. It is hardly to be 
expected that all the. members of the group will be worth the 
same amount of money at the end of five years or ten years. 

Some of these teachers will take a great interest in their 
work; will do professional reading; will attend special classes in 
the summer school, or make special investigations or trips to 
increase their effectiveness. Others will spend no time outside, 
either in advanced study or special investigation. It is unfor- 
tunate that public funds are to be administered in such a way 
as to advance people automatically rather than on a basis of 
relative value. 



173 



The Committee Recommends 

(h) recommendations 

That the division or bureau which the committee has 
already recommended should be estabUshed in the 
office of the City Superintendent, shall submit 
methods for determining the relative efficiency of 
teachers. 

That such proposed methods should contain provisions 
. for a system of promotion on merit which shall serve 
to stimulate professional growth. 



174 



XII 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A DIVISION OF 

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, STATISTICAL 

INFORMATION, ETC. 

The reports of the offices of the Board of Educalioii, so far as 
they go, are excellent; the only difficulty is that they do not go 
far enough. Information is very hard to get from the reports. 
It is our recommendation that the whole system of checking 
up reports and records of the Educational Department be re- 
organized and expanded with a view toward making it possible 
for members of the Board of Education or the public to be able 
to get at pertinent facts concerning the schools at a moment's 
notice. 

The present system of reports and records is the outgrowth 
of a system that has been in operation for many years. Changes 
are made from time to time, but these changes are not made in 
such a way as to make it possible for the reports to present an 
organized whole. 

Principals and teachers are being constantly required to fill 
out reports, but after these reports are filled out they do not 
dovetail in such a way to make them significant or consistent. 
The office staft" is not sufficiently large at the present time to 
handle the statistical data which should be available to a city 
the size of Los Angeles. Sporadic investigations are made from 
time to time by the Board, the Superintendent, the Auditor's 
Department, the State Board of Control, or some committee 
of teachers. From the very nature of the case, it is impos- 
sible to find out the situation with these sorts of records. With 
very few exceptions, the various compilations were not directly 
available in any of the offices of the Board of Education. They 
had to be worked from the original data. 

A bureau of research should reorganize the present system of 
records. It should also devise the best methods by which data 
may be collected and compiled. The records should serve to 
check errors, eliminate waste, and give information definitely 
and completely to all who desire it. 

Recommendation for the establishment of the division of 
educational research will be found on many pages of this re- 
port. The various duties suggested for such a division do not 
include all the functions w^hich it would discharge. 



175 



Properly organized, it would greatly facilitate the work of the 
executive officers. It would present facts rather than opinions. 
Its establishment shoud result in a reduction of unnecessary 
duplication and waste, whether educational or economical. 



176 



XIII 

THE BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT 

The Superintendent of Instruction should be given definite 
powers and should be held responsible for definite things. The 
policies of the Board should not be formulated until after there 
has been a complete understanding on the part of the Board 
as to the purposes and plans of the Superintendent, but the 
Superintendent should then be held rigidly responsible for 
carrying out such policies and regulations and for such methods 
of organization of his staff as will do so effectively. 

The Superintendent is, or ought to be, an expert who knows 
the business of education as the manager of a railroad division 
knows the business of railroading, or as the president of a bank 
knows banking. This does not mean that a superintendent 
should assume a high-handed attitude with the public, or with 
the 'Board, nor that he should ignore the Board. Rather that 
he should work with the Board and the Board should work with 
him to the extent of formulating a policy for the wisest expend- 
iture of the public funds for the purpose for which they were 
raised. \ board of education should not be inactive. Rather 
a board of education should be as active as the present Board 
now is in the expenditure of time and energy in getting a grasp 
of the large problems o; education and in formulating a civic 
policy in regard to schools. 

RECOMMENDATIONS 

The Committee recommends: 

1 : That this Board formulate its general policies from 
time to time, and 

2: That it establish regulations for carrying out these 
policies. 

In submitting this report this Committee desires to acknowl- 
edge to the Board of Education its deep appreciation of the many 
courtesies received from its members. 

It also wishes to refer to the readiness at all times of all the 
members of the advisory and teaching corps to assist the mem- 
bers of the Committee in every way. 

Walter A. Jessup 
Albert Shiels 



177 



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